Latest update January 30th, 2025 6:10 AM
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Pensioner perishes in early morning blaze
…two buildings go up in flames simultaneously
Godfrey Alexander or Godfrey Gaskin, a peanut and confectionaries vendor of Farm, East
Angela Jagdar who occupied the bottom flat of one of the buildings which was gutted by fire.
Bank Essequibo, was burnt to death in his house early yesterday morning. According to reports the man was burnt beyond recognition.
Alexander called, “Hell fire” from his days as a boxer, was found clutching a quantity of money next to what was once a doorway. He was also known to sing calypsos such as ‘Angel Gabriel’.
Fire was first seen coming from an unoccupied building next to Alexander’s two-storeyed house. It was shortly before 05:00 hours and people were beginning to get out of bed to start the day.
However within seconds, fire was seen coming from the apartment where Alexander lived, which is also occupied by a physically challenged woman, Angela Jagdar and her reputed husband who is also physically challenged, the victim of a stroke. The couple was not at home at the time of the incident.
Neighbours were concerned that the fire fighters had not searched thoroughly and that the couple might have been in the rubble.
To end all speculations and concern, Charlene Bacchus who alerted the community to the blaze, went to Vreed-en-Hoop to ensure that the couple who occupied the bottom flat was safe. Angela Jagdar was found safe and alive at her place of employment, a liquor restaurant and bar.
Jagdar said that she was not aware that her home was burnt. She said she left the house on Tuesday and once she is not at home her reputed husband would be at his children in Parika.
What was strange to investigators as well as residents of the area, was the fact that the buildings were not close to each other. They are convinced that the fire that destroyed one building could not have spread to the other. The other thing was that both houses went up in flames almost simultaneously, leading everyone to believe that the fires were the work of arsonists.
Regional Councillor Richard Waddell, who spoke with this publication, said that he noticed fire coming from the unoccupied building. This building was located at the front of a lot adjoining the one on which Alexander’s house stood. The now dead man owned both properties.
Waddell said that he immediately tried to summon the Guyana Fire Service at Leonora.
“I started walking towards the blaze but then I notice ‘Hell Fire’ house on fire and we started calling fuh ‘Fire!’ because that is he call name but he didn’t answer. One of them boys even run upstairs and start knocking the front door.”
Waddell said that while banging at the door, scraping sounds were heard coming from behind the door as if the man was trying to get the door open. However, after their efforts failed to get the front door open, they were forced to leave as the fire kept spreading rapidly.
What is left of Alexander’s house at Farm, East Bank Essequibo.
According to Waddell, by the time the fire tenders arrived, both buildings were destroyed. One was burnt flat and the other had precious little standing- nothing more than a concrete stairway, a section of flooring that supported a generator and some uprights.
This publication was told that by sunrise the police arrived and firemen were seen going through the rubble looking for Alexander’s remains. Within minutes they were seen removing a badly burnt and disfigured body.
This publication was told that the man was found clutching a large amount of cash. Some speculated that the man may have been trying to exit the burning building but turned back for his money.
Further, residents expressed their disappointment at the Guyana Fire Service’s response to the fire. This publication was told that the firefighters arrived some 30 minutes after the first fire call was made and when they arrived they were without water.
“If they had arrived earlier, a life could have been saved,” one resident lamented.
When this publication arrived at the scene at around 10:00 hours yesterday some concerned residents were still at the scene.
There are reports that the dead man was involved in several land disputes as he was being investigated for selling lands to vulnerable persons and re-selling the land to other unsuspecting persons.
Investigations are ongoing.
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