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Investigators suspect drunken pensioner caused LBI fire
The homeless pensioner, Dhanpaul
Officials of the Guyana Fire Service suspect that the intoxicated owner of the gutted La Bonne Intention (LBI) home somehow caused the fire, which started at around 13:30hrs on Tuesday.
This is according to an official close to the investigations. Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle confirmed this, but noted that the results would be made available once the probe is completed.
Dhanpaul called ‘father bull’, age 73, was rescued from his burning Lot 99 Onion Field, LBI, East Coast Demerara home by neighbours. The pensioner had been sharing the two-storey property with his granddaughter and her two children. The latter family members were not at home during the time of the fire.
Dhanpaul said that after returning home, having had a few drinks with his son-in-law, he realized that smoke was emanating from the adjacent bedroom. This was usually occupied by his granddaughter and her children.
Despite this, a still intoxicated Dhanpaul, who lived at the house for over seven years, said he went into his bedroom to take a nap. The pensioner said that he was later awakened by intense heat and the sound of neighbours calling out to him, relaying that his house was on fire. According to Dhanpaul, he came out and saw the fire, but could not do anything to help himself. That’s when neighbours rushed to his aid and dragged the weakened man out of the burning building.
“Me drink me li’l rum and yuh know how drunk people does be. I couldn’t ah come out ah deh. Is good thing dem boy pull me out…God save me life here today,” Dhanpaul said. While the man hinted that his great-grandchildren usually play with matches, neighbours are suspicious that ‘father bull’ himself might’ve caused the fire. Investigators share this same suspicion.
Onlookers told this publication that the children could have never been responsible for the damages amounting to millions, as they had been in school all day, while their mother had gone to work. “De man does drink steady, awe does tell he about this drinking, but he nah hear. He want fuh blame them children and seh is dem cause this fire, but even if dey does play with matches like he seh, dem children gon ah school since eight ‘o’ clock this morning. He, he-self careless, suh me wouldn’t be surprised if is he mek the place bun down. He alone been home, suh ah he gah fuh know” one neighbour told this newspaper.
Another noted, “de girl live there with she children and it gon be hard fuh her because she nah have nowhere else to go. Is she I sorry for. Roseanna is a good girl and she does hussle fuh a better life. This gon be a real downfall fuh she here. “Bull” is a big man, he got he children dem and suh, but me ain’t know wha guh happen to she.”
Dhanpaul’s granddaughter, “Roseanna” was too traumatized to speak with this publication. She sat on a rock in front of the yard, crying. The entire house was gutted and all of the family’s belongings went up in flames.
Residents said that the Guyana Fire Service responded promptly to reports, and firefighters were able to prevent nearby houses from being burnt. Gentle said that the investigations are expected to be completed soon.
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