A fire at Lamaha Street, Newtown, Kitty, Georgetown, on Thursday evening has claimed the life of a 65-year-old man who was reportedly recovering from a stroke. The deceased man has been identified as Vernal Duncan. The fire reportedly started just after 21:00h in one of the three buildings that was later completely gutted. The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) stated that firefighters from the Campbellville and Eccles Fire Stations responded to the report of a fire, and upon arriving at the scene, they observed three buildings engulfed in flames.

Through their coordinated efforts, firefighters successfully contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading further. However, two of the homes were completely destroyed, while a third sustained partial damage. During the emergency response, it was reported that one occupant was unaccounted for. Following the successful suppression of the fire, firefighters conducted a thorough search of the premises and discovered the charred remains of the missing occupant.

Senior Fire Officer Rovin Thomas related on Friday, “Two other buildings were affected as a result of the fire and radiated heat. The firefighters did an excellent job, though in some instances it can be challenging based on control and so forth, but the firefighters did an excellent job.” At the scene, a resident, Sylvia Grey, who lives next door to the house that was destroyed by the fire, recounted that she was asleep when her son alerted her that he smelled smoke.