…occupant dies after responding to the scene

Fire of unknown origin gutted a house at Princess Street home earlier today leaving several homeless.

And reports are that, Michael North, a 47-year-old driver attached to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, who lived at the apartment building Lot 41 Princess Street, collapsed and died several hours later after he responded to the scene.

Reports are that around 11:30hrs, the fire was observed at the back of the double flat building.North occupied an apartment upstairs at the property and reports are that on arrival at the scene, North assisted in retrieving items from the building but collapsed at the scene after seeing the building in flames.He was rushed to the hospital for treatment but died around 1500hrs today.

Some four families lived at the building and reports are that no one was in the building at the time of the fire.

Divisional Commander of the Guyana Fire Service, Gregory Wickham told reporters that two fire tenders responded to the scene.He said the fire service is investigating the cause of the fire.