A fire of unknown origin completely destroyed a wooden house at Bartica Arcade, Essequibo River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Sunday.
The house which was reportedly owned by Alfred Wyatt was reported left abandoned and was frequently inhabited by vagrants.
Police stated that a 45-year-old businessman reported that he was in the arcade at about 17:30h when he observed smoke emanating from the wooden structure and soon he saw a Venezuelan woman (name provided) running out of the yard uttering “It was an accident”.
The businessman raised an alarm and the police and fire service were summoned to the scene. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze to one location but the building was completely destroyed.
The Venezuelan national who was subsequently taken into custody recalled that at about 16:30h on the day in question, she left the Bartica Arcade and went to a Chinese Supermarket to purchase groceries, and upon her return to the abandoned house, she observed the mattress on fire.
She attempted to pull the mattress out of the house but was unable to do so thus resulting in complete destruction. She, however, ran to safety. At the time of the blaze that house did not have electricity.
Investigations are ongoing.
