A 47-year-old Venezuelan man perished in a fire that destroyed the house he was occupying at Lot G 1 1/3 Plantain Walk, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, on Friday.

Dead is Richard José.

According to the Guyana Fire Service, firefighters from the La Grange Fire Station, along with a water tender and a water carrier, responded to a report of a building on fire at approximately 03:31 hrs.

“Upon arrival, they observed a two-storey house on fire, with the first floor fully engulfed in flames. They immediately went into offensive firefighting and managed to contain the blaze to the first floor of the building and minimise threats to nearby buildings,” the release said.

The house was owned by 68-year-old Bernadette Gordon, who occupied it with 27-year-old Canaan Bacchus.
As a result of the fire, the first floor of the building was destroyed and José perished in the inferno. Reports are that no one was aware that he was occupying the building.

Additionally, two houses located at Lot G 11/3 Plantain Walk, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, and Lot H 11 Plantain Walk, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, respectively, were also damaged due to radiated heat from the building of origin. This resulted in a quantity of windows being destroyed on both houses and a section of the southern external wooden wall on the first floor of the second building being slightly damaged.

Also affected was a Toyota Premio bearing registration PYY 3553 which had its rear lights destroyed due to radiated heat.

Three jets working from water tender #111 and water carrier #14 tank supplies in conjunction with one jet from Light Pump #118 via an open water source were used to extinguish the fire.

As investigation is still ongoing to determine the cause of the blaze, GFS extends its condolences to the relatives and friends of José.