Latest update April 4th, 2025 6:13 AM
Stewartville fire leaves four homeless
A ferocious inferno awoke the residents of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, yesterday morning, and was responsible for destroying the home of Amanda Nandram and her family.
Amanda Nandram’s goes home up in flames
Neighbours were fearful that the blaze would spread to other homes as the intensity of the flames and heavy wind saw nearby residences being threatened. Fortunately for the community, members of the Guyana Fire Service managed to contain the fire and prevented further losses.
Unfortunately, 20 year-old Nandram along with her husband Kwame Austin, their two year-old son Quason Austin and her uncle, 40 year-old, James Nandram, suffered massive losses, leaving the family homeless.
When the blaze started only Nandram and her two year-old were in the two-storey building. Her husband was at work. The blaze consumed her home so quickly that she was unable to save any of her belongings.
“I was downstairs sweeping the yard with my son when the fire broke out,” said Nandram, also
The aftermath of the fire.
known as ‘Mandy’, “all of a sudden one of them neighbours shout ‘Mandy, Mandy! Look fire!’ then I run upstairs and see it was a big fire.”
Kaieteur News understands that the dwelling had a two bedroom and hallway layout, with Nandram and her family residing in the bottom flat. The fire is believed to have originated from one of the upstairs bedrooms.
The still distraught mother could not believe how fast the flames spread, lamenting that everything she owned, even her life’s savings, were all gone in less than fifteen minutes.
Despite efforts by neighbours to extinguish the fire, Nandram related that it was futile, as simple buckets were not enough to quell the flames. It wasn’t until the Fire Service arrived that residents were assured that their fortunes would change.
However, extinguishing the blaze was not an easy task for firefighters, as residents related that there was a malfunction with the water pump which delayed their efforts. The breakdown was subsequently rectified allowing the ranks to operate efficiently.
When this publication arrived on scene, fire officials were still conducting investigations.
According to a female neighbour, she was fast asleep when the fire began.
“My fan start to make noise and the power lines outside start sparking,” said the woman, who related that she heard other neighbours screaming that there was a fire. She then rushed out to see what was happening, but found the flames so intense that she was forced to watch from a distance.
However, she did manage to capture a video of the fire which fire services are using to assist in investigations.
Nandram expressed her grief over the incident. She said that it would be difficult for her to rebuild, since all the money she had been saving was inside the razed home.
When asked what she would do next, Nandram said, “I will have to get a job and build up from there.” She further explained that she’ll be spending the night by an aunt in a nearby housing scheme.
“I can spend the night by an aunt, but that won’t be long term. I’ll try to use whatever zinc they got leff back and build something from that in the meantime.” While she rebuilds her home, Nandram related that she is open to the help of public-spirited citizens.
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