11 homeless after fire destroys two houses on Essequibo Coast

An early morning fire, suspected to be an act of arson, has left a Good Hope, Essequibo Coast, family homeless and counting their losses after two wooden houses were completely destroyed.

The blaze occurred between 02:30h and 03:00h today at the Lot 368 Good Hope residence in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), where the two wooden houses were on the same property.

At the time of the fire, nine persons were inside the back house, while an elderly woman, Narima Hamilan, was alone in the front house.

The back house is owned by the woman’s son, Mohamed Hamilan, who lives there with his wife, children, and grandchildren. Mohamed Hamilan was at work when the fire erupted this morning.

According to the man, the fire was allegedly set by his nephew, George Khan of Good Hope. He explained that the young man arrived at the home sometime around 02:00h and requested entry. However, the grandmother, Narima Hamilan, reportedly refused to open the door, telling him to leave due to his habit of smoking and substance use.

It is alleged that, after being denied entry, Khan locked the elderly woman inside the house and proceeded to set fire to furniture on the verandah, including a chair and table. The flames quickly spread, engulfing both structures.

Fortunately, the elderly woman was rescued by a relative from the back house before the structure was completely engulfed. She was subsequently rushed to the hospital, where she is currently receiving medical treatment.

Meanwhile, despite efforts by the Guyana Fire Service to contain the blaze, both houses had already been destroyed by the time it was eventually brought under control. Nothing was salvaged.

Mohamed Hamilan expressed deep distress over the incident, noting that the family had worked tirelessly to build and furnish their home, only to see it reduced to ashes within minutes. He estimated the damage to the two buildings at approximately $6 million.

“This land were on, we are renting it for over 21 years… We worked very hard to build these houses to make us comfortable, and in just a few minutes, everything is gone. It’s heartbreaking and very sad for us. We would need assistance to build back our homes so we can live comfortable with our family again,” the man lamented.

Now displaced, the family is appealing to the Government and the public for assistance in rebuilding a safe and comfortable home so they can begin to recover from the tragedy.

Police have since launched an investigation into the suspected arson and are actively searching for George Khan.