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Little Diamond fire was caused by electrical fan
The scenes from the fire.
Kaieteur News – The fire which occurred last Thursday and took the life of 26-year-old Krystle Chung was caused by an electrical fan in Chung’s bedroom, according to Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle.
Kaieteur News had reported that the fire occurred around 05:30 hrs. at Lot 8, Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara, where Chung lived with her father, mother and little sister.
While Chung’s parents and sister were able to escape from the inferno with minor burns to their bodies, she was not as fortunate since she was trapped in her bedroom, which was located at the front western side of the building.
When contacted, Gentle told this publication yesterday that the investigation into the origin of the fire was concluded Monday evening. He stated that the investigation revealed that the fire was caused by an electrical fan in Chung’s bedroom.
Dead, Krystle Chung.
Gentle added that the investigation was conducted by a collaboration between the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and the Government Electrical Inspector.
Kaieteur News had reported, according to an eyewitness, that neighbours and passersby noticed smoke and fire emitting from the wooden section of the top-flat of the two-storey building, so they raised an alarm.
Another eyewitness stated that before the firefighters arrived, there were loud cries for help coming from Chung’s bedroom. “Her father and some men tried to rescue her but the fire kept spreading and they had to back off…at that point, they couldn’t do anything to save her with the way the fire went blazing,” the man added.
As word spread about a fire in the community, residents flocked the road and streets. After the firefighters were notified that a woman was trapped in the front bedroom in the top flat, the men aimed their hoses at the bedroom area to control the fire.
However, that was not enough – the screams of the young woman were no longer being heard after some time. At that point, Chung’s relatives and other persons gathered under a neighbour’s house. As Chung’s mother watched on in tears, her relatives tried to console her.
Around 07:40 hrs. on that day, the firefighters were able to control the fire which had completely destroyed the upper part of the building. The firefighters then continued to hose sections of the house that still had smoke.
Moments after the firefighters stopped hosing the house, loud screams came from the relatives after someone said, “Look her burn body hanging out that side of the house.”
Before the firefighters attempted to retrieve Chung’s body, workers from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) were called in to cut the electrical wire that ran to the home. The firefighters then placed a ladder some distance away from where Chung’s charred remains were seen hanging out at the western side of the house.
However, the ranks had some difficulties getting to Chung’s body, so other firefighters were instructed to continue hosing the area.
“Don’t throw her like that…lift her up,” relatives shouted to the firefighters who were removing Chung’s body which was burnt beyond recognition. Undertakers then wrapped Chung’s remains in a blue plastic and took them away.
An organization has since started a ‘Go Fund Me’ fundraiser to help Chung’s family start over. Anyone who wishes to donate can follow the link: https://gofund.me/2bec16c1.
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