Newly-weds lose all in fire

Sep 23, 2009 News

Around 13:30 hrs yesterday afternoon, eight-year-old Phillip Smith ran out of his home to alert the neighbourhood of the flames he had seen in the back room of the house. Before long the house was destroyed.

The burnt building

A villager, who lives close to the destroyed building, had seen the smoke and assumed that someone was burning tyres. It was only upon a closer look that she realised that the house was one fire.

Residents reported that a bucket brigade did a very good job in preventing the flames from spreading to a nearby house, but could only do so much to control the fire at 3 Bagotville, West Bank Demerara. The blaze destroyed the top flat of the building.

According to residents, the house on the western side of the burnt building was significantly damaged.

Kaieteur News understands that the child was the only one in the house, his mother Marlette Bobb, having been at work at the time. Bobb received a call from her 16-year-old daughter, Tiana Bobb.

Bobb occupied the upper flat with her daughter and son, while Andre Wilkinson, 34, lived in the bottom flat with his wife, Melissa.

The two have only been married three weeks now. They have lost everything, including albums and wedding gifts because of the inferno.

Andre Wilkinson seemed lost, shocked and thunderstruck when approached for a comment.

The proprietor of the building, whose name was given as Edward Rodney, is said to live overseas at the moment, and up to press time was unaware that his property had been destroyed.