Fire Chief Marlon Gentle has warned about using kerosene stoves and leaving them unattended.This follows a fire at Lot 136, Silverbali Street, Meadowbrook, Georgetown, which destroyed a house and left three persons displaced on Sunday night.

He said that the fire which destroyed the house started when a kerosene stove, which was placed on an unstable surface, fell to the ground and ignited.

The Chief Fire Officer stated that the kerosene stove was placed close to the back door of the house, coupled with the strong wind it started a fire to the walls, which spread very quickly – which is an ignition of vapour (flashover) fire.

Gentle warned that at no time should any kerosene stove be left unattended and when cooking, it should be placed on a flat stable surface, away from the wind, doorway and walls.

On Sunday night at about 23:40 hrs one of three men, including two brothers, left a kerosene stove unattended while cooking, which caused a fire that destroyed a house they shared, leaving them displaced.

Kerosene stoves left unattended have caused many fires that could have been avoided if people were more attentive, therefore avoiding situations that left many homeless.