House powered by solar power goes up in flames

Residents in a bucket brigade formation dousing the building

A Corentyne Berbice family of five was displaced on Thursday afternoon after their solar-powered two-storied home went up in flames, leaving million in damage and losses as a consequence.

The Fire which took place at Lot 792 Ankerville, Port Mourant Corentyne Berbice, completely destroyed the upper flat of the building  which was constructed with wood and gutted the lower flat which was constructed with concrete

Homeowner Tejmattie Jaundoo

We spend about Twenty-Two Million on this house, it’s like an empty house we buy and furnish it and did everything and now everything is gone. They (Firefighters) take so long, I stand up waiting like about twenty minutes and my house burning down and they did not reach yet” homeowner Tejmattie Jaundoo told BIG Smith News Watch.

Jaundoo confirmed that the house was not powered by the Guyana Power and Light but rather their source of electricity was solely from the solar setup which powered household appliances.

Items which were pulled from the burning building

The family also operated a small grocery shop in the lower flat of their home and when Jaundoo was alerted to the fire, she was in the shop. In her communication with this publication, the woman related that was destroyed on Thursday were things she spent the majority of her life acquiring.

It was related to BIG Smith News Watch that the fire started in one of the rooms on the upper flat of the building and relatives are still puzzled as to what may have caused the fire.

A bucket brigade by residents along with the help of a pressure hose managed to quell the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings while effectively saving the lower flat as the arrival of the fire service was awaited.

Once the firefighters arrived, they had their own challenges of getting their pump started.

Residents from the area raised their concerns at the scene following the Guyana Fire Service delayed response even though the Fire Station is located just one village away.

When the tender arrived, the pump which was used to intake water from a nearby trench failed to work thus resulting in support being rend from two other tenders from Albion Estate and the New Amsterdam fire station.