Youth sets fire to his Agricola house, runs to police station
The building that was gutted by fire at Agricola
The building that was gutted by fire at Agricola

By Rabindra Rooplall

A MAN believed to be experiencing mental health problems is being blamed for starting a fire early Wednesday morning at Agricola, causing a house in which he and his sister lived to be gutted.The brother and sister who occupied the two-storey concrete and wooden house at Lot 20 Public Road, Agricola, East Bank Demerara are now homeless.

One of the damaged minibuses in the neighbour’s yard
One of the damaged minibuses in the neighbour’s yard

Reports disclosed that firefighters who were stationed at the Gafoor’s Complex at Houston, EBD, promptly responded, resulting in the neighbouring building being saved.

According to Ruth Singh, at 1:30hrs Wednesday morning another neighbour alerted her that there was a fire at the adjacent building.

In shock, she said that three vehicles that were parked in her yard were damaged. “We had to take out one of the buses on the road and we couldn’t have taken out the other two at the time because the fire was so much that all the buses get scorched.”

She further explained that the parents of the brother and sister who lived in the house died several years ago, leaving them there.

“This thing make me so nervy and scared because I never experience nothing like this. Because you know what it is to jump out your sleep so nervous and then have to see all of this, plus your vehicles damage up,” she lamented.

Reflecting on how she reacted on learning of the fire, she said that she alerted her husband, who immediately reversed one of the minibuses from their yard and headed to the Gafoor’s Complex, where there was a major fire Monday. He informed the firemen who were still on duty there and they hurried to the scene. She added that her livelihood would be affected since the minibuses were damaged.

According to another neighbour, Shiwbaran Neville, the young man who started the fire is believed to be mentally unstable and is known for pelting vehicles randomly on the roadway and was even incarcerated for other delinquent behaviour. Neville said he learnt that the youth had set a mattress alight in the home, causing the fire.

Identifying the youth as Carl James, the neighbour said: “Well, like he trip and went into the house and he go and light the mattress, this caused the fire. Another time when the house had nice windows he break it up, he even pelted cars on the road, he is a little wicked boy.”

Residents in the area disclosed that after the fire the youth was seen running to the Agricola Police Station where he surrendered himself.

 

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.