A FIRE of unknown origin has left a family of seven in Lake Mainstay village, Essequibo Coast, homeless as it gutted their home on Wednesday morning.

The dwelling house was occupied by 42-year-old Sherwin De Yonge and his wife, Anice, and their five children, ages 10, eight, five, three and one year old.

The house was a one-storey wooden building measuring 20 feet in length and 15 feet in width. At the time of the fire, Sherwin was at work and two of his children were at school.

According to Anice, a housewife, she was doing some work at the back of the yard while three of her children were in the dining area when one of her daughters ran out and shouted: “Mom, smoke in the house.”

However, upon checking, the woman said she noticed the fire had already caught on the house from the northern side. She immediately picked up her three children and ran.

An alarm was raised and villagers ran to her rescue.

The GFS was summoned, but by the time the fire was extinguished the building was completely destroyed, as were all household appliances and belongings.

Regional Commander Superintendent Khemraj Shivbaran and other police ranks visited the fire scene. The building was built by Food For The Poor approximately 13 years ago.

During an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Sherwin said that he and his wife have been married for over a decade and the incident has shaken them completely.

The father of five said that he is thankful that nothing worse happened to his family or any of his children. He explained that his wife was outside washing when she was alerted by one of her children that smoke was coming from inside the house.

“When she went inside all she could have done was grab the children; everything went up in flames, including all the children’s school supplies, books etc….” Sherwin said.

He denied any cooking-related cause for the fire, with neighbours reporting an earlier electrical wire sparking. Sherwin also alleged they do not keep matches around the children. He added that his family is taking refuge at a relative in the meantime.

An investigation by the Guyana Fire Service is currently underway