YOWANI Sasenarine, 87, a shut-in for the past four years through a stroke, died Sunday night after fire broke out in the upper flat of a two-storey Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara home where she resided. She shared the flat with her daughter.

The daughter, who cares for her, was not at home at the time of the fire. Residents in the lower flat of the building were unable to pull her to safety due to the intensity of the heat from the blaze.

Eyewitnesses say the fire started sometime after 01:00hrs and relatives suspect the fire is electrical in origin.

According to residents, the fire service responded with three tenders, but by the time they arrived at the location, the fire had already consumed most of the building and the woman was trapped inside.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, one resident said she was asleep when she got up and noticed the house was on fire and quickly alerted neighbours.
The neighbours rushed over to the burning house and when they got there, they realised that the elderly woman was missing.

The daughter, who has been caring for Yowani, was at her brother’s home where she went to cook for him.

It was upon her return in the wee hours of Sunday that she noticed the fire in her street and as she got closer, she observed that it was at her home.

The daughter related that she saw relatives standing outside the house, but there was no sign of her mother and when she enquired, she was told her mother was trapped inside as there was difficulty in trying to get her out the building.

The Guyana Fire Service has launched an investigation into the fire.