10 persons suffer fiery deaths in eight months

Aug 04, 2024 News

---

Kaieteur News – Ten persons including two children have died as a result of fires occurring across the country so far this year.  The figure appears to be a stark decline in contrast to the previous year, where the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) recorded the most deaths by inferno –29 children and nine adults lost their lives for that period. Here is a recap of the lives that perished as a result of fires since January.

Tokant Deokharan

It was reported, that on January 2, 2024, forty-three-year-old Tokant Deokharan, who was a teacher, lost his life after he was involved in the massive blaze at Manager’s Quarters, Port Mourant  Corentyne, Berbice. Upon firefighter’s arrival at the scene, ranks observed two buildings fully engulfed in flames and smoke.

The Fire Service said the fire originated in a one-storey wooden and concrete house owned by Deokharan’s sister who resides in the United States. Deokharan, who lived at the house, perished in the blaze while the building was destroyed.

Richard Lozada

On January 5, 2024 forty-seven-year-old Richard Lozada, a Venezuelan national perished in a fire at Plantain Walk, Vreed-en-hoop, West Bank Demerara (W.B.D).

The GFS responded to the emergency call at 3:31 a.m., dispatching firefighters from the La Grange Fire Station. Upon arrival, they encountered a two-story house ablaze, with the first floor fully consumed by flames.

Efforts were immediately focused on containing the fire to the first floor and mitigating potential threats to neighboring structures. Despite their rapid intervention, the first floor of the building was destroyed, resulting in Lozada’s death.

Alexander Josephine

On March 12, 2024, ninety-three-year-old Alexander Josephine was killed in a wildfire which ripped through his farm at Parakies Village, North West District (NWD).

The GFS said that the fire began ravaging his farm around 12:30 hrs. Josephine, according to reports, left his residence around 09:00hrs that day to attend to his farm. Family reportedly recalled receiving a call around 13:00 hours that he had sustained burns from a fire at his farm and had died. They immediately informed ranks at the Acquero Police Station.

When the lawmen and emergency responders arrived at the location they found Josephine lying motionless on his back with burns covering his body. His remains were taken to the Kumaka District Hospital, where it was further examined before being placed in the hospital’s mortuary.

Moses Elias

A fire which was maliciously set on March 22, 2024 destroyed a Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home and claimed the life of 85-year-old Moses Elias, a former Headmaster of the Bladen Hall Multilateral School.

According to the GFS, fire fighters received a distress call around 04:00hrs, about a fire at West Half Plot OBAZ, Beterverwagting, ECD. The report related that water carrier #16 and Water Tender #105, carrying 1703 litres of water along with their crews, was immediately dispatched to the scene. Upon fire fighters’ arrival, they encountered a wooden and concrete two-storey building engulfed in flames and immediately commenced fire fighting operations. Elias, the lone occupant of the house died in the fire.

Zang

A Chinese national identified as Zang, lost his life on March 25, 2024 after a fire destroyed a restaurant located at the intersection Dageraad Avenue and Greenheart Street, MacKenzie, Linden, Region Ten.

Four persons are also homeless. Reports are that the fire erupted around 01:41 hrs and firefighters arrived eight minutes later. “Despite their efforts, tragically, one occupant, identified as Zang, perished in the fire,” the fire service said. The building which housed the restaurant was completely destroyed by the fire.

Carl Persaud

On July 1, 2024 Carl Persaud, died after he was trapped in an inferno which destroyed several buildings along the Bush Lot Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

Reports have indicated that a fire of unknown origin started sometime around 17:45hrs at Persaud’s two storey residences and quickly ravished through the building completely destroying it. The man was reportedly trapped in the upper flat of the building which also housed the Nalico & Nafico Insurance Office on the bottom flat.  

Investigations revealed that Persaud who lived alone on the upper flat of the building was reportedly an alcoholic. At about 18:00 hrs., persons nearby, reportedly saw the victim pushing his hand through his bedroom window calling for help but at the same time, the fire had begun to spread quickly on the upper flat and persons could not have rendered assistance.

After the fire was extinguished, a walk through was done and the burnt body of Persaud was discovered. The scene was photographed; the body was removed and is presently at Bailey’s Funeral Home awaiting an autopsy.

Junior Anderson

Junior Anderson, a four-year-old who resided at A C-Field Sophia, Georgetown was killed on July 5, 2024 after an inferno gutted the one flat concrete home he was in.

Neighbours recalled hearing screams as one of the children of the family ran out into the street screaming for help. After realizing that the home was on fire the Guyana Fire Service was called even as neighbours formed a bucket brigade aimed at saving the house and the four-year-old child who was trapped in the house. Unfortunately, the fire was raging and public spirited residents were unable to enter the building. Not even the fire fighters were able to save the lad.

The Fire Service in a statement said that it received a call that the house was on fire at 15:59 h. The fire tenders and fire fighters arrived on the scene at 16:06h. The GFS said that upon arrival the fire fighters were informed that one child was unaccounted for. After extinguishing the fire, the charred remains of little Junior Anderson were discovered.

According to preliminary investigations, the Fire Service reportedly learnt that the fire was caused by children playing with matches. “The naked flames ignited a mattress, which then set nearby combustible materials on fire, leading to the spread of the flames throughout the building” the fire service said.

The parents of the children were reportedly not at home when the fire erupted. Investigators were told that the children were left in the care of a teenager. “According to the teen, she left the children playing and went to lie down, subsequently falling asleep,” the Fire Service reported. The teen reportedly said that she was awakened by one of the children who told her the house was on fire. The panicked teen ran out of the house.

Leroy Archer

On July 11, 2024, Leroy Archer a three month old baby died in a fire at Enmore, ECD that destroyed a two-storey wooden and concrete house.

The house was occupied by four persons including the baby. Leroy and his two-year-old sibling Lorenzo were home with his mother, Chandroutie Manickchand when the fire started. The children’s father, Leon Archer was at work.

Manickchand reportedly told investigators that she was showering in the lower flat of the house while the baby was asleep in the upper flat.

The distraught mother reported that someone alerted her of the fire and she ran to the bedroom to remove the baby but the room was already engulfed in flames. This forced her to exit the house leaving the infant.

An inconsolable Manickchand collapsed and was rushed to a medical facility. Similarly, upon arrival at the scene, Leon Archer fainted and was whisked away by an ambulance. While the cause of the fire is unknown, a neighbour recalled Manickchand saying that she left a fan on in the bedroom in which the baby was sleeping.

Albert Hopkinson

On July 24, 2024, Albert Hopkinson better known as ‘Uncle Major’ a 94-year-old man was killed in a fire that destroyed his home at Third Avenue Sixth Street, Bartica Region Seven.

The fire of unknown origin destroyed the two-storey wooden and concrete home of the Hopkinsons. Photos and videos showed that the entire top flat of the building was engulfed in flames.

The GFS confirmed that the top floor of the building was destroyed; however, there was no damage to the ground floor.  The GFS in a statement said that it received a call alerting to a fire at 13:20hrs. Firefighters arrived on the scene at 13:25hrs and the first jet went into action at 13:26hrs. The response team included Water Tender #98 and a Water Bowser, carrying a total of 9274.259 liters of water to extinguish the fire. Additionally, two jets operating from tank supplies, and subsequently, a water relay system from LP#A03 were also used.

Lendon Cornelius

The most recent death occurred on Friday 2 August , 2024, when a disabled boy, 18, was killed in a fire at Imbamadai Village, Cuyuni Mazaruni, Region Seven.

The dead teen was identified as Lendon Cornelius. A fire reportedly erupted around 09:00hrs and destroyed the house where he lived. A video surfaced on Facebook of a small wooden house engulfed in flames. Persons were heard crying in the background.

---

• Albert Hopkinson, Carl Persaud, deaths, fire, Moses Elias

---