THE Guyana Fire Service has launched an investigation to determine the cause of a fire which completely destroyed a wooden and concrete house at Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant, on the Corentyne late Wednesday afternoon.

According to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, the fire reportedly started at approximately 17:00hrs and quickly ripped through the building. Firemen from the Rose Hall brach of the fire service responded in a timely manner; however, the conflagration was of such that their efforts were unable to save the building.

Deodat Tasso, a cash-crop farmer, lived at the house and he related that he lost everything in the blaze.

He told the media that he left his residence around 16:45hrs on his bicycle to go to the shop but before he reached, a neighbour pulled up beside him and told him to hurry back home since his house was on fire.

“When meh reach the fire done deh big and smoke plenty. Meh went farm and come back then went to sell my bygan [Boulanger], meh come back home and then go out again and this happen,” he said while fighting back tears.
Tasso said he was shocked and he did not expect everything to be destroyed within minutes.

“Everybody around here say it gotta to be currant [sic] cause whole day we get blackout and that same time it come on back; then say we had plenty high voltage,” he added. The farmer said he is hoping he can get  some assistance in future so he can recover from his loss.