Family of four homeless after Anna Catherina fire

Four people are now homeless after a massive fire at Seaview Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara (WCD), ravaged their house on Sunday night. 

According to a release from the Guyana Fire Service, firefighters from the Leonora fire station responded to a fire at the location at about 21:43 hrs on Sunday. 

At the scene, it was observed that a one flat wooden and concrete building was engulfed in flames. The building was owned by 38-year-old Ravindra Balkissoon, and occupied by himself and family of three. 

The fire destroyed the building, leaving the family of four homeless. 

Balkissoon’s next door furniture workshop was also damaged as a result of the fire. 

Furthermore, other nearby buildings were damaged. 

The fire destroyed one house and damaged several other buildings (Photo: Guyana Fire Service/ September 12, 2022)

PVC guttering and windows at the two storey wooden and concrete building located at Lot 67 Seaview, Anna Catherina, which is situated on the southern side of the Balkissoons’ house, were damaged. 

This building is owned by 47-year-old Mark Jelto who along with his family of three occupies the top floor. The bottom floor is a liquor restaurant. 

Additionally, a one flat wooden and concrete building located at Lot 31 Seaview, Anna Catherina, situated on the western side of the Balkissoons’ house, received damage to nine metres of PVC guttering, nine metres of facing board and thirteen louvre panes as a result of radiated heat from the building of origin. 

This building is owned by fifty-six year old Sherina Mohamed and occupied by herself and family of two. 

It was noted that one jet working from an open water source and another working from tank supply were used to extinguish the blaze.

Importantly, the fire service disclosed that the purported cause of the fire is a breakdown in an electrical circuit which caused sparks that ignited nearby combustible materials.