The victims of Thursday’s fire in James Street, Albouystown, which flattened four buildings have started to receive support from the Government and other groups and organisations. More than 30 persons were left homeless by the blaze.
In wake of the fire, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has operationalized a shelter at the Six Head Lewis Gym located in Albouystown to accommodate those displaced by the fire.
The Government also provided financial assistance to the sum of $50,000 as a starter to each of the families affected by the blaze, in addition to food, mattresses and other essentials.
When News Source returned to the scene of the fire today, a team from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Utility Section was on the ground assisting with the clearing of debris from the burnt out site.
Across the street, 26-year-old old Kelly-Ann Andrews gazed at the remains of what use to be her home. The mother of three said she spent the night at her father along with her children. She said support is needed as many of the victims lost everything in the fire.
“They said they will help we. They seh let we find a place, and they will pay a three months rent but I am trying to figure out what will happen to all me stuff them that damage. Everything fuh me damage, because I does do hair and all them thing. I had me own lil part set up where I does do hair,” she explained.
She said while the initial support is welcomed, she is hoping to get help to build back her home and restart her small business which was also gutted by the blaze.
The owner of two of the buildings that were completely gutted, Mohamed Din, said he is still counting his losses and would be thankful for any support.
“My children send a lot of things from overseas in containers and a lot of things pack up there, downstairs, in the garage and all those things burn up, like generators and different different things,” he said.
Din had a total of nine tenants in two of his buildings. He said he was at home in the third building when he heard persons raising an alarm over the fire.
Over at the Six Head Lewis Gym where the shelter has been set up, 32-year-old Alisha Farnun, told News Source that she was at work when she received news of the blaze. She said she hurried home but was unable to save anything.
“I was at work when I get the call yesterday that my house is burning down and when I came everything was done destroyed, I couldn’t save nothing, none of my documents, my children birth certificate, everything destroyed, everything fuh dem to go to school, all their uniform, all our utensils, our furniture, everything destroyed. Right now, we are trying to get a place to stay. It really hard because we have to start from scratch,” Farnun said.
Another fire victim said she is a young mother and would be grateful for any assistance.
“They come last night, the ministers they came last night, and they helped us out a lot, I would say because they gave us money, $50,000 each to everyone who was affected, and they give us mattresses and stuff last night, and they give us breakfast. But we are supposed to have a meeting because they were even encouraging us, some of us who have land, we could go in and see what we could get from them. But they have been helping since last night, and we are very grateful,” the young mother said.
Members of the People’s National Congress-led APNU were also seen on the ground today taking food items and other supplies to handover to the affected persons. The party said it will continue to lend support to those affected and will encourage others to do the same.
Meanwhile, Divisional Officer of the Guyana Fire Service, Andrew Holder, said the Fire Service is assessing the damage done by the fire as it continues its investigations.
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