A fire of unknown origin has completely destroyed a two-storey wooden and concrete house at Lot 25 Maida Farm, East Berbice, Corentyne, on Sunday.

The fire, which began at approximately 08:45 hrs, also damaged a wall and windows of a neighbour’s house.

Assif Mohammed, called “Fazil”, 46, who owned the house ravaged by fire, said he was not at home when the fire started and was apprised of the tragedy by his wife.

“I went to Eureka Lab to take my aunt to do a PCR test; when I got there my wife call and say the house on fire. By the time I got back, the house was already flattened. A lot of persons were trying to help and the firefighters were doing their duties, everyone tried,” he said.

Mohammed, a vendor at the New Amsterdam Market and former hire car driver, occupied the house with his wife. They were unable save anything.

At the time, two visiting relatives were staying at their home and they were all in the kitchen preparing for a religious function at another relative’s house.

However, the family was able to recover a Quran among the debris. Though the edges of the holy book were scorched, the words on the pages were intact.

According to Mohamed, the fire started in the upper flat near a fuse box. No one was there at the time as everyone was in the upper flat cooking.

An eyewitness recalled that after the fire became visible, villagers formed a bucket brigade but they were unable quell the raging blaze.

A fire tender arrived from the Rose Hall Fire Station and managed to control the blaze and save the nearby house from extensive damage.

A neighbour, Shamdai Mohammed, said after the fire began to spread, they collected a hose from the garden and began to soak the building. As a result of the fire, a window, the side walls, PVC pipes and a water tank were damaged.

An investigation is currently underway. Mohammed estimated his losses in the millions since his house was well furnished.