A FIRE Friday afternoon at Lot 88, C Field, Sophia has left a family devastated and a community mourning. The Guyana Fire Service received a call at 15:59 hours and arrived on the scene within minutes. Despite their swift response, the one-flat wooden and concrete building belonging to 42-year-old Nigel Anderson was completely destroyed.

Sadly, the fire claimed the life of one of Mr. Anderson’s children, Junior Anderson. The family, including Shonnette Anderson, 37, Michael Anderson, 11, Waveny Anderson, 15, and Cynthia Anderson, 6, are now left homeless.
The fire led to the total devastation of the building and its contents, rendering four individuals without a place to live.
Based on preliminary investigations, it appears that the fire was caused by children who were playing with matches. The open flames caused a mattress to catch fire, subsequently igniting nearby combustible materials and resulting in the rapid spread of the fire throughout the structure.

Firefighters swiftly extinguished the blaze using two jets from Water Carrier #18 and one jet from Water Tender #105.
The evidence gathered at the scene indicates that a 16-year-old was assigned the responsibility of looking after three children. Based on the teenager’s testimony, she entrusted the children to their playtime and then retired to rest, eventually succumbing to slumber. The teenager stated that she was awoken by one of the minors, who conveyed to her the occurrence of a fire in the dwelling. Gripped by fear, she quickly escaped from the dwelling. The Fire Service was contacted and, upon investigation, ascertained that one of the children was missing. Firefighters discovered charred remains following the extinguishment of the fire.

The Guyana Fire Service extends sincere condolences to the parents and other relatives of the young child who lost his life.
Following this tragic event, it is important for parents and guardians to educate children about the hazards of fire starters such as matches and lighters, and caution them against their usage.
It is imperative that children are not left unattended or unsupervised at home.

The utmost priority is to safeguard children by prohibiting their access to the cooking area, while continuously ensuring matches and lighters remain inaccessible.
It is important to ensure that homes are equipped with fire prevention and firefighting devices, such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.