King and Robb Street building was firebombed -Eyewitnesses

King and Robb Street building was firebombed   -Eyewitnesses

The Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service have launched a massive investigation into the early Monday morning fire which gutted a three-story building at the corner of Robb and King Streets in Georgetown. Two children were killed in the blaze.

Investigators are following up on reports by eyewitnesses that two men were seen throwing firebombs into the building. One eyewitness who was in the area at the time said a dark coloured car was seen circling the area several times before two men exited with something in their hand and set it alight.

According to the witness, the car drove off and parked further down the street as the two men lit the bottles of what was suspected to be gasolene and pelted the bottles into the building. The men made their escape after they were picked up by the car. They were dressed in dark coloured clothing and one of them had braided hair.

Moments later, the entire building was engulfed in flames. Within minutes, the upper flat where the children lived with their male relative, came crashing down as fire men fought to control the blaze.

A neighbour said the man who lived with the children was seen jumping from the window of the building as the fire overwhelmed him. He remains hospitalised with severe burns and other injuries. Police have identified him as 63-year-old Randolph  Thomas.

The two children who died have been identified as 15-year-old Clarissa Rozario, and 11-year-old Theresa Rozario.

There are reports that the building was at the centre of a long running dispute between a long time occupant who is a former government Minister under the PNC and the family of the owner.

Several small businesses were housed in the recently renovated bottom flat of the building.

Filed: 17th November, 2014

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