A neighbour of the man who died in Thursday night’s Newtown, Kitty fire has revealed that residents had been experiencing electrical problems before the blaze, as investigators continue to probe the cause of the fire that claimed one life, destroyed two homes, and damaged a third.
Sylvia Gray, 49, of Lot 81 Lamaha Street, Newtown, Kitty, said she and other residents had been dealing with repeated fluctuations in electricity supply, describing the power as going “on, off, on, off, like a fairy light.”
She said she had unplugged her electrical appliances out of concern they could be damaged, while the partner of the deceased had also complained about electrical issues at their home.
“The lady told me she had electrical problems. And I had the same too. GPL, on, off, on, off, like a fairy light. So I ended up plugging my things because I knew I would behave bad with them if my things was damaged,” Gray stated, noting that the woman also seemed to have been dealing with faulty wiring also.
Speaking with Kiskadee Watch yesterday, Gray, whose home was partially damaged, recalled that she was asleep when her 16-year-old son alerted her that he could smell smoke. She looked out a window and saw nothing. “But I heard him starting to scream, ‘Fire,’ and when I looked out the other side, I saw the blaze.”
The family initially tried to extinguish the flames by throwing water, but the fire spread rapidly. It became impossible to leave the building but the firemen were already on hand and assisted Gray and her daughter to get out.
She estimated her losses at more than $1 million, explaining that an entire side wall of her house, along with its windows and belongings inside, was damaged.
Gray said she believes that the fire started in the middle house, where the now deceased 65-year-old Vernon Duncan Jr. lived. Only last January 25, she recalled, she attended his birthday party and celebrated with him.
She shared that on the night he died, his partner had left him home watching television. She also recalled that after firefighters initially extinguished the blaze and left, burning wood at the back of Duncan’s house reignited. “The breeze started it back. Had to get them to come back,” she said.
Meanwhile, according to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), firefighters from the Campbellville, Central and Eccles fire stations responded and found three houses engulfed in flames. While they managed to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings, two houses were completely destroyed and a third was partially damaged.
During the operation, the GFS said firefighters were informed that one occupant was unaccounted for. A search of the premises after the blaze had been extinguished led to the discovery of Duncan’s charred remains.
The GFS has extended condolences to Duncan’s family and said an investigation is underway to determine the cause and circumstances of the fire.
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