Kwakwani fire destroys home; 9 homeless

A fire has left nine people homeless after a blaze engulfed and destroyed a two-storey home in Kwakwani’s Second Phase Housing Scheme, Berbice River, on Monday evening.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said it received an emergency call at approximately 18:10 hours, reporting the fire at Lot 68. In response, Water Tender #69, manned by a team of five auxiliary firefighters, arrived at the scene within minutes, bringing with them 1,703 litres of water. The firefighters began battling the blaze at 18:16 hours, quickly deploying one jet of water from the tender, as well as two additional jets from a garden light pump utilising an open water source.
Despite their efforts, the fire completely destroyed the home, which was owned by 71-year-old Michael Primo and occupied by eight other family members. The fire, which began after a lit electrical stove was left unattended, quickly spread when the flames ignited a window curtain, and rapidly consumed other combustible materials in the house.