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Rice farmer loses millions as fire guts Corentyne home
(Kaieteur News) – A Corentyne rice farmer and his family are grieving over the loss of their home and valuables which were reduced to ashes by a fire on Tuesday afternoon.
The distraught man, Vishnu Ganpat, 49, resided at Lot 45 Section ‘G’ Alness Village, Corentyne, in the property where he and his family of six occupied for approximately 11 years.
Vishnu Ganpat and his wife Gumattie Desa
In an interview with Kaieteur News on Wednesday, the rice farmer recalled wrapping up his day’s work in his rice field and preparing to venture out of the backdam via tractor, when his neighbor’s son contacted him on his phone at around 3:30 on Tuesday afternoon.
“I got a phone call saying my house on fire. Where I was, it is over four miles. The closest distance was Black Bush (Polder) road, about twenty minutes. When I come out, I see big smoke. When we come out, everything done like duh.”
What remains of the destroyed Alness residence.
Ganpat disclosed that he lost approximately $3.2 million in personal cash as part of his farming activity, which then amounted to about $4 million when the other portions of cash belonging to other relatives were added.
His wife, Gumattie Desa, 38, related that she was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Her 16-year-old son was at home with her at the time. A neighbor’s son would alert her of an electric situation that prompted the fire.
“I hear a lil voice saying ‘Aunty Vanie, yuh house wire sparking. Aunty Vanie, fire’. So, I run out the kitchen and when I look up at the front of the house, the wire give another spark,” she said.
In panic, she told her son to shut down the main switch, while she tried to put out the flames with water. Her son was unable to proceed upstairs, as the flames had already spread throughout the upper flat of the two-storey wooden and concrete structure. They would quickly exit the house to safety.
The family occupied the residence since 2015, Ganpat disclosed. His wife said all they owned and had to show for years of hard work went up in flames, leaving them clueless as to what next course to pursue.
“I don’t know what’s the next move. There is nothing left that you can start back from. In 20 minutes, everything just vanish. I’m married for 22 years, I have four kids, and that is everything we had. The only thing I run out with is my phone in my hand,” the housewife told this publication.
No injuries were reported from the incident. The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has stated that the official cause of the fire is under investigation.
Meanwhile, the family of six is seeking assistance from the public for reconstruction of a new home. Persons can contact Ganpat on 677-4420/639-2014.
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