People are turning to fire as means of settling domestic dispute- Fire Prevention Officer

Mar 01, 2017 News

– 37 buildings destroyed in two months
Given the number of fires the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has been called to investigate over the past two months, it can be assumed that persons are turning to fire as means of settling domestic disputes.

Some of the buildings that were destroyed by fire.

This is according to the GFS’s Fire Prevention Officer, Andrew Holder, during a recent interview with this newspaper.
Kaieteur News understands that since the year started, 28 buildings have been completely destroyed by fire while nine were severely damaged—both deliberate and accidental.
Additionally, seven persons lost their lives in fires suspected to be both deliberate and accidental.
“I can tell you for 2017, most of the houses were deliberately set on fire over dispute and it is alarming,” Holder pointed out.
He made reference to a particular case which occurred on February 14, last, where a Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara (EBD) man reportedly burnt his home, two weeks after his wife drank kerosene to escape domestic violence.
The Fire Prevention Officer said that the increase in domestic fire has stressed the importance of counseling since people stress levels vary.
As it relates to accidental fires, Holder said that electrical installation has a life span of 20 to 25 years after which the property needs to be completely re-wired.
“You have some houses which were inherited. Back then, all those people needed was a point for a television and light so it was wired to accommodate that person’s lifestyle at the time. Now that someone else took over, that person would want to put in a microwave or a washing machine.”
Holder said that because no upgrade has been done, the point can be overloaded and can eventually result in a fire.
Another cause for fires, according to the Fire Prevention Officer, is people leaving their children unattended at home and matches within their reach.
On Monday, last 23-year-old Latoya Pearce was charged for setting Dorrel Romeo, her ex-partner’s house on fire two Sundays ago at Good Intent, West Bank Demerara (WBD).
On February 12, Leonard Pollard reportedly set his Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara home on fire, killing himself and partner, Latoya Telford, and one-year-old daughter, Nakasia Pollard.
According to information received, Pollard burnt the house after seeing a text message from another man in his partner’s phone.
The couple, who lived together for five years, shared three children. The two older children were at their grandmother’s home at the time of the fire.

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