A family of seven is homeless after a two-storey house at Lot 53 Winkle Road, New Amsterdam, was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Saturday, in what the Guyana Fire Service has determined to be a suspected act of arson.
The Guyana Fire Service said the alarm was received at approximately 1:36 am and two fire tenders were dispatched from the New Amsterdam Fire Station, but the building was already fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived.
Firefighters adopted an aggressive strategy to stop the blaze spreading to nearby buildings, though the two-storey wooden and concrete structure, owned by the now-deceased Elizabeth Dover, was completely destroyed. Following an investigation, the Fire Service concluded the blaze was deliberately set by person or persons unknown.
Seventeen-year-old Wanita Bristol, who was at home with her 11-year-old brother when the fire broke out, said she woke to an unusual sensation before finding the house filled with smoke.
“I felt like somebody was tapping on my leg, like saying, ‘Wanita, get up’,” she said. She said she initially ignored it but got up when she realised the house was filled with smoke. She said she knew it was not the gas bottle or an electrical fault, and that the fire had continued despite pouring rain, which told her something was wrong.
She said she saw a blue drum near the back entrance engulfed in flames and immediately focused on getting her brother out safely, leaving behind her phone, laptop, iPad and printer. She said she then briefly attempted to return for school documents but was forced back by heavy smoke and heat. The siblings took refuge at a neighbour’s home, along with other occupants of the building. No injuries were reported.
Bristol alleged the fire may be linked to an ongoing legal dispute involving a downstairs tenant and his family, saying she had recently declined attempts to settle a matter outside court. She said one of the occupants had accused her mother of starting the fire despite her mother being away from home at the time.
Her mother, 49-year-old Gailann Williams, said she was arranging painting work at another property when she received a call informing her of the fire.
“I thought it was a joke. The first thing I asked was what happened to my children,” she said.
Williams also linked the incident to a court matter involving a tenant.
She said she reported the threat to police but did not return to give a formal statement.
She estimated more than $3 million worth of household items and building supplies – including flooring materials, a water pump and a generator being stored for another property – was destroyed, but said she was thankful her children escaped unharmed.
“I need justice. I want the authorities to investigate thoroughly and find out the truth,” she said, adding that she and her family are temporarily staying with neighbours and appealing for public assistance to rebuild their lives.
Police investigations are ongoing and no arrests have been reported. Persons wishing to assist the family can contact them on 690-5491.
