Fire strikes at Pitt Street again

Jun 20, 2008 News

By Melissa Johnson

NEW AMSTERDAM , BERBICE – Just after 20:00 hours last night, fire of unknown origin destroyed two buildings in Pitt Street, New Amsterdam. Initial reports state that only one person is homeless.
Seventy-five-year-old Ethlyn Bristol owns at the least the first five properties in Pitt Street starting from the Republic Road commonly called Back Dam. The first two are the ones burnt.

Her niece, Shelby Philander, lives at the fifth building. She takes care of the owner and estimated the damage in millions of dollars. “I was at home and I hear somebody shouting, ‘Fire! Fire!’ and when I come out I saw my aunt on the steps. I run and get her out of the building. She was living alone.”
The two buildings were renovated in 2006 and 2007.
Shelby Philander said that she did all the cooking for her aunt and as such, she has ruled out the possibility of the blaze starting that way.
According to her, the first house – a one-flat – was vacant as was the upper flat of the second building. Her aunt, Ethlyn Bristol, occupied the lower flat.
Scores flocked the scene as some condemned the Guyana Fire Service for not having an adequate water supply while others praised them for the prompt arrival.
Firemen had their work cut out for them. One larger fire tender and two Land Rovers were on the scene as the fire fighters secured water from the nearby Republic Road canal and as usual there were problems with water and the hoses.

It was just Tuesday that another fire, this time at Lot 14 Mount Sinai in West Canje, left Avril Johnson and her family — her 19-year-old twins Stacy and Stayman Johnson; and her grandchildren nine-year-old Shawn Blair, a student of St. Aloysius Primary School; Devon DeJonge, 12, of Canje Secondary School; three year old Onisa Johnson; and six-month-old Michael Johnson — homeless.