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Charity Guest House gutted in suspected arson attack
– Two in custody
Burtley Burnette
Police have detained two suspects following a fire that destroyed the interior of a six-room guest house at Charity Housing Scheme, early yesterday morning.
One of the suspects is being held at the Charity Outpost, while his alleged accomplice is under police guard at the Oscar Joseph Hospital at Charity. He sustained severe burns to his face and hands.
Both men were apprehended yesterday morning after the owner of the guest house gave a statement to the police. The fire which was described by members of the fire service as an act of arsonists, started in one of the rooms.
Burtley Burnette, who said she acquired the building some three years ago for her son, Forbes Melville, explained that she and her sister were viewing television at another guest house at Charity, minutes after one o’clock yesterday morning when she was alerted about the fire at her son’s premises.
Burnette explained that at the time of the incident her son was hosting three occupants at the guest house, a couple and a man who sustained back injuries after he attempted to escape through the back door.
The businesswoman said she was told that the suspect who ended up being hospitalized had doused the interior of the building with gasoline and then proceeded to set it alight. Burnette said they only managed to salvage three mattresses, with all the other items and appliances, including television sets, being destroyed.
A female worker assigned to the guest house for the past three weeks explained that minutes after one o’clock yesterday morning she was alerted by noise emanating from the interior of the building, which she described as the sound of persons fighting. She said that after the noise persisted, the owner (Melville) was informed. He subsequently ventured upstairs to enquire about the commotion but was greeted by flames and quickly raised an alarm.
The employee said that immediately persons in the area formed a bucket brigade in an attempt to extinguish the blaze.
A call was also made to the Fire Service at Anna Regina, but when their tender arrived, the fire had already been contained to the interior of the building.
Ms. Burnette is contending that one of the suspects (the one not hospitalized, is not responsible for setting fire to her son’s property, since he was among the persons who assisted in putting out the fire. Burnette explained that the man played such an active part in extinguishing the blaze that he experienced periodic unconsciousness due to smoke inhalation and as such had to be treated briefly at the Oscar Joseph Hospital.
The businesswoman also related that because the suspect who is in hospital informed the police that the other man had thrown gasoline on him and set the guest house alight, this was why the police had detained the “innocent” individual.
Burnette further indicated that the main suspect is a man who had approached her before the fire started with phone cards and cell phones. She said she chased the man out of her premises and was later told that he turned up minutes before the fire at the guest house making allegations about stolen cell phones and phone cards, and that he wanted to search for them.
The businesswoman said an argument ensued between the man and her son. The fire reportedly broke out minutes later.
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