Families in Crane, West Coast Demerara, had to leave their homes on Diwali night after smoke from a bush fire behind Best Road became so thick that some residents said they could not breathe. Residents told Kiskadee Watch that some families took their pets with them as they got out.
No homes were engulfed in flames, and no injuries were reported.
Residents said the fire started around 7 p.m. yesterday and spread through dry vegetation. Some suspected that fireworks had been set off in the bushes, but the cause of the blaze remains unconfirmed.
Three firefighters were seen battling the fire, while residents helped put out flames in other sections. At around 9:10 p.m., the crew was seen struggling to connect a hose as the fire continued to spread. One firefighter later had difficulty holding the hose steady on his own as he directed water at the flames. The fire was extinguished around 9:25 p.m.
The blaze came amid a Guyana Fire Service warning that flames can spread quickly to nearby grass, fences and homes in hot, dry conditions. The service has urged residents to clear dry vegetation from around their homes and keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach. If a fire begins to spread, residents should move to safety, alert others nearby and call 912.
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