A man narrowly escaped with his life after an early morning fire completely destroyed his home at Lot 39 Lochaber, West Canje, Berbice, on Wednesday.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said firefighters responded to the blaze and found the one-flat wooden structure fully engulfed in flames on arrival. The house and all its contents were destroyed despite their efforts.
Preliminary investigations by the GFS indicate a discarded cigarette butt may have caused the fire.
The homeowner, Troy Williams, said he was asleep when the blaze broke out at around 3:00am. He said he woke up choking and saw the house on fire, and tried unsuccessfully to douse the flames with water.
Williams said the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen area. He noted the house had no electricity and relied solely on solar power.
Asked whether a discarded cigarette may have sparked the blaze, Williams said he had smoked one the previous evening and thrown it out of a front window before falling asleep, adding that he did not believe it could have caused the fire.
The blaze has left Williams, who has lived at the location for about 10 years, homeless. He had previously lost another home to fire and had spent years rebuilding his life.
Among the items destroyed were his bed, gas stove and other household belongings. Williams said he also lost nearly $2 million in cash, which he had been saving in a mattress while planning to build a new home.
Williams, who has worked as a linesman with a private contractor for One Communications for more than two years, said the money had been set aside for his next chapter.
He said he did not know where he would spend the night, and may have to sleep in a hammock.
Those willing to assist Williams can contact him at 660-9963.
