Firemen, victim at odds over missing cash, electronics

Oct 25, 2019 News

“Imagine you called the Fire Service so that they can come and put out a fire and them people come and thief out money from my purse and carry away my son Samsung Ipad.”

The house that was burnt

This is according to Ms. Rufina Leitch who occupies the bottom flat of the two-storey building that was destroyed by fire early yesterday morning. The woman shares the home with her mother, brother and two sons.
But Guyana Fire Service, Station officer, Curtland Henry, stated “I was the officer that was sent along with my other colleagues to put out the blaze. When we arrived at the scene, the neighbours already had the fire under control so we just do our part.
The tenant (Ms. Leitch) was standing outside so I went up to her and asked her if she was doing ok. She then told me that she wanted to go into the house to retrieve some stuff.
I was concerned about her falling and injuring herself in the house so myself and another colleague followed her into the house to retrieve her purse that was in the cabinet. After retrieving her purse, she then went and sat in a car that was across the road.
I can safely say that nobody attached to the Fire Service touched her purse,” stated Mr. Henry.
However, Ms. Leitch denied that she was ever escorted into the house by anyone.
The 35-year-old woman who resides at 530 North-East La Penitence, Georgetown stated that yesterday, around 03:30hrs, she was asleep in the bottom flat of the building while the owner of the home, who has been identified as 66-year-old Brenda Tudor was asleep in the top flat.
According to Ms. Leitch, she was suddenly awakened by a loud noise coming from the top flat of the building. It was the neighbour alerting her that the house was on fire.
“I keep hearing this loud noise but I did not know what was making the noise so I get up and decide to go outside. But it was early in the morning and I did not look to see if the house was on fire…
“Is till when I hear my neighbour shouting for my mother and telling she that the top half was burning up, that I know what was going on.”
Ms. Leitch further stated that when she realised that the home was on fire and knowing that her landlord was still in her room. She raised and alarm and several young men in the area subsequently used a ladder to safely remove the woman from the burning building.
“I am glad that the fire fighters were able to come and completely out the fire but I know for sure that dem thief my son Ipad and US$200 from my purse. Because Wednesday around 10:30 hrs I came home from work and I put my purse that had the money inside along with my child Ipad in the cabinet.
“When the fire start I was so scared that the only thing I take out from that house is my family. The firefighters took my belongings.”
Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle stated that initial investigation has revealed that the fire started in the front bedroom on the upper flat of the building and the reason for the fire is a candle that was left burning in the room by the home owner.
The matter is being investigated.

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