A FAMILY of five were rendered homeless after fire, suspected to be electrical in origin, consumed their two-storey, Lot 360 Block 12, Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara concrete house, Friday night.

Speaking to Guyana Chronicle on behalf of the displaced family, Reshma Singh said no one was at home at the time of the fire.
She related that the family were at their business place at Lot 100 Gandhi Street, Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, when they received a telephone call from a neighbour, stating that their house was on fire.

Singh added that it was before 09:00hrs and by the time the occupants arrived on the scene, the building was engulfed in flames. Nothing was saved in the blaze.
The woman reported that shortly before the blaze, the area had experienced a power outage and when the light came on, neighbours saw “fire” running from the electrical wire to the now gutted house.

Singh related that the fire started in the upper-flat of the house. All electrical appliances were off at the time of the fire.
Hanoman Singh, who owns the home, could not bear the sight of all his worldly possessions being destroyed and rode off on a bicycle. He was found in a semi-conscious state at the Botanical Gardens on Saturday morning and was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he was receiving treatment up to press time.

His condition was said to be stable.
The house was renovated about three years ago and the lower flat housed a shop which was fully stocked and was expected to be opened soon.
The family of five had been residing at the location for the past 23 years and said that they are unsure what they will do next since they did not get to save anything from the building.

Though neighbours promptly summoned the Guyana Fire Service on noticing the fire, the two fire tenders that arrived on the scene, reportedly did not have water and had to source water from nearby canals.

However, the fire-fighters still managed to contain the fire from spreading to houses nearby.
The displaced family told Guyana Chronicle that they spent the night in a relative’s vehicle and are still trying to come to terms with their losses which are in the millions.