CHIEF Fire Officer Marlon Gentle reported that the first of two fires occurred around 02:39 hours in when a dwelling house at # 12 Village, West Coast Berbice, was completely destroyed, displacing two persons.

He stated that person(s) broke into the house located on the No. 12 Village Public Road and set the building alight.

The two occupants were Alicia Andrews and Imran Tullisram.

It was reported that the property is in dispute; as such, the Guyana Police Force has been informed of the suspected arson and a probe is under way.

Meanwhile, major disaster was averted at Lot 1 D’urban and Smyth Streets, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, on New Year’s Day around 08:39 hours when children, who were left unattended, ignited matches in the bedroom they were in setting the place ablaze.

However, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was summoned and extinguished the flames. The bedroom was however partially destroyed.

The mattress and walls of the bedroom were also scorched but luckily, no one was injured during the conflagration.

(By Michel Outridge)