OVER 11 persons are now homeless following a fire which gutted two houses on Hadfield Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown between 16:30hrs and 17:00hrs on Monday afternoon.
One of the families of Lot 69–the D’Areallas–is clueless as to how the fire started when no electrical or cooking appliance was left on around the time of the fire.

Speaking to the media was occupant and father of seven, Lawrence D’Arealla, who said that at the time of the fire one of his daughters and his two grandchildren, a 2-year-old and a 9-month-old, were at home.

It was only after his daughter noticed that there was a fire in the house that she took up the toddlers and ran for safety to a neighbouring house.

Around the same time, Lawrence said that he was hanging out on the pavement, not too far from his home, when he saw two youngsters run by yelling “fire”.
By the time he got to the wooden structure, he said that it was completely up in flames and although the fire service responded, there was nothing to be saved.

Apart from Lawrence and his children, his wife–Karen D’Arealla–and brother-in-law–Patrick Hall resided in the home.
“When we left in the morning, we plugged out everything. I came back home midday and I make sure everything plugged out then I left and I go to work. When I come home now, then I see the fire,” Hall said, adding:

“Everything gone! Everything! We don’t have anything more, this is all we got.”
Meanwhile, Lawrence’s wife, Karen, was making her way home with her other children and when she received word that the house was on fire.

“I don’t know nothing… it’s from work I’m coming. I just get a call that my house on fire. Everything! Everything! All we passport, everything burn up! All my children birth certificate, everything burn up,” she cried upon arrival.

Present at the scene, too, was Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green, who comforted the family and reassured them that they would be assisted in retrieving the lost documents.

Speaking on the matter, Divisional Officer of Operations of the Fire Service, Gregory Wickham said that information is still being gathered on the origin and total number of persons affected by the fire.

“We have two buildings that have been completely destroyed and two others have been slightly scorched. We’re still investigating and very soon media operatives and the general public will know the cause of the fire.

“No one gave us any information that anyone has been harmed or been trapped in the two properties,” he updated.

This newspaper was unable to locate the residents of the second house which was also completely destroyed.