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Battered by hurricane, Guyanese teacher in BVI now loses home to fire
Almost two years after being battered by Hurricane Irma and a flood in 2017, in the British Virgin Islands, a Guyanese family has now suffered another devastating blow.
The father and children and the members of the BVI Fire and Rescue Department.
The destroyed apartment.
This time, it is a fire that has ravaged their home.
Marcel Eon Davis, a school teacher, and his family were left homeless and traumatized after a fire of unknown origin swept through the major parts of their apartment in Huntums Ghut, British Virgin Islands.
Davis, a husband and father of six- five daughters and a son, three of whom lives with him in the BVI- were now in the process of getting themselves back in order from the hurricane and flood when disaster struck again on August 4th, around 20:00hrs.
Davis, who teaches at the Elmore Stoutt High School, recalled the ill-fated night of the fire in an interview with the BVI News. He said that he had left the family home to take his children to the Road Town festival grounds.
“While I was there, I received a call from a neighbour stating that smoke was coming from the apartment. I had left my wife alone at home sleeping. She was sleeping in the living room area outside when we left. When I came, I met the firemen engaged in the fire and they had things under control,” Davis stated.
Davis, a former senior teacher and Lecturer in Industrial Arts at the Canje Secondary School and the New Amsterdam Technical Institute in Guyana, stated that “I lost everything in the bedroom area … and most of the children’s supplies [were destroyed].”
His daughter is preparing to write her CESEC examination next year and lost everything including her school based assessments and project documents.
After the fire, the family was assisted by members of the BVI Fire and Rescue Department who assisted with school supplies for the children.
He told BVI News he was “very surprised” when he discovered what the officers had in store for his family.
“It was overwhelming because a lot of people calling me now and extending their sympathies. Before it was publicized, a lot of people didn’t know about it.”
They assisted with books, book bags, exercise books and some other needs. “My entire family and I are very grateful for the gesture,” he said.
The family has been receiving support from friends and colleagues who have offered them temporary accommodations while they house-hunt.
“That same night, I moved in by a teacher friend. From the next night I stayed in the apartment of another friend who was overseas. I stayed there for 12 days.”
He stated that “I was looking for a place to stay because you know things are difficult. Fortunately I have gotten a place to stay for the while until I find somewhere else to rent.”
While the incident would have taken place some weeks ago and no-one was harmed, it still remains fresh in the minds of the family.
Davis told BVI News memory of the fire is enough to evoke momentary feelings of fear within the family.
“It’s like every time you go to bed and try to wake up you look around and just try to make sure that everything is ok and something like this doesn’t happen again, so we are a little skeptical about certain things,” Davis stated.
“One thing the children were speaking about is that they are scared of being homeless because they asked the question: ‘Dad, when we move from here, will we be homeless?’ I said no.”
The family, currently occupying a temporary apartment in a West End community, is still in search of a permanent one.
“Things are difficult, house rent alone is US$1,000 monthly and school opens in a short while.” But for Davis, God is in charge.
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