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Toddler perishes in fire
An early morning fire yesterday at Vryheid’s Lust South, East Coast Demerara, claimed the life of a toddler and left four persons homeless.
Reports are that the blaze may have started while the victim, two-year-old Nicholas Maraj, and his three-year-old cousin Anthony Singh, were playing with matches. However, the dead child’s mother, Natasha Maraj, categorically denied this statement, saying that matches were out of the childrens’ reach.
Maraj told Kaieteur News yesterday afternoon that her mother, Phulmat Singh, would always leave the matches on top of the fridge. Singh said her grandson had been living with her from birth and over the years she had become attached to him. The woman said his death came as a shock to her.
“When I lef fuh carry this child (pointing to her granddaughter) to school I didn’t know it would be the last time I woulda see he alive.”
Natasha Maraj said she was at her home in Sophia when she got a call saying that her mother’s house was on fire and the whereabouts of her son was unknown. The woman said by the time she and her reputed husband made it to her mother’s Vryheid’s Lust home it was completely gutted, and persons directed her to the charred remains of her son.
“I was supposed to come and see him today because he don’t really live with me, but I aint mek it in time.”
Maraj said her son lived with her mother, sister, niece and nephew.
Maraj’s mother, Phulmat Singh said she had left the home earlier in the morning to take her granddaughter to school and was informed of the fire by other relatives.
The children’s great grandmother who lives in a house which is located in the same yard said moments before the fire she saw the two children, Nicholas and Anthony, playing in the yard.
“Ah bend down fuh do lil wuk and only fuh one second me eye come off ah dem and lil time after meh see de house on fire…meh nah know when dem go in de house.”
The woman said she started calling for her great grandsons but only Anthony, the 3 year-old, emerged from the house.
She speculated that from where the other child’s body was found he may have gone into the house and fell asleep in a hammock.
Meanwhile, as news of the fire got around the village scores of persons turned up, some to offer support to the relatives and others to get a glimpse of the dead child. Not long after undertakers from the Lyken Funeral Home arrived on the scene and removed the corpse. As the child’s remains were being taken away relatives sobbed uncontrollably.
Undertakers removing the child’s remains
From all indications the quick action of fire tenders from LBI saved a building located on the eastern side of the burning structure. Persons from the area had earlier formed a bucket brigade, but that was to no avail with respect to the destroyed building.
The owner of the house said she could not give an immediate estimate of her losses but noted that the building was fully furnished with all the necessary amenities. The woman could not say what may have started the fire, but noted that matches were totally out of the children’s reach.
An investigation has been launched.
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