Fire destroys home of Corentyne fisherman

A fisherman has been rendered homeless after his two-storey house at Whim Village on the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was destroyed by fire on Friday morning.

Permaul Punsammi called “Leon,” a 54-year-old fisherman who had been living at the property alone since 2002, was not at home when the blaze started at around 08:00h.

The lot 102 12th Street Whim Village, Corentyne, wooden and concrete house is owned by Punsammi’s friend, who lives in the United States.

The fisherman told this publication that he had left home at about 6:30h on Friday and was heading to the Number 66 Village, when he received the call alerting him about the fire.

“One of me niece call me and say fire deh [at] the house. So, me tell she make sure and she call me back and tell me come home,” he related.

According to Punsammi, he was about an hour away at the time of the call and turned back immediately.

“By time me come, the house done burn down… Them [firemen] done went here, outing the fire,” the fisherman noted.

Punsammi said the building was not connected to the power grid and was sure he did not leave the stove on.

“Everything been alright [when I left home],” he stated. The man explained that the property has power but the meter was in the yard and not attached to the house as yet. He was awaiting an electrician to do the wiring.

“So, the current na been deh to the house and me na light stove; me na do nothing,” Punsammi said.

Meanwhile, based on preliminary investigations, regional fire authorities suspect the blaze was set with malicious intent.

According to police reports, one fire tender from the Rose Hall Town Fire Station responded to the blaze.

Only earlier this week, the Regional Democratic Council received its fifth firefighting pickup truck, which was expected be stationed at the Whim-Bloomfield Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to serve seven villages, including Letter Kenny and Auchlyne.