FIRE of unknown origin on Monday night quickly swept through a huge two-storey house at Lot 55 Block 33, La Parafaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, leaving in its wake a family of six homeless.

Fire victims Julian Craig, his wife and four children were not at home when the fire struck, and they have consequently lost all their worldly possessions.

Residents report the blaze as starting soon after electricity had been restored to the area. They report observing thick smoke billowing from the dwelling house even as the Guyana Fire Service was alerted at about 19:30 hrs.

It was not certain at which part of the building the fire started, but within minutes the entire edifice was destroyed.

The family has estimated its loss as running into millions of dollars because the house was fully furnished and mechanical equipment for their mining business had also been stored there.

At time of the conflagration, the family was out participating in the Easter Monday celebrations, but they received a call informing them of the fate of the house.