House of domestic violence victim burnt; five homeless in other fire

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 20:59 by GxMedia

A house that was about to be rehabilitated by Habitat for Humanity for a woman who was almost stabbed to death by her husband was destroyed by fire of electrical origin early Sunday morning, neighbours said.

The incident occurred at 18 Goed Fortuin Public Road, West Bank Demerara.

A nearby resident said the old wooden building was quickly engulfed by flames following a loud explosion shortly after 2 O’clock Sunday morning.  “The transformer made a big noise and the fire started,” a resident told Demerara Waves Online News.

The house was owned by 27-year old Tameka Patterson who was chopped at least 27 times by her husband, 30-year old Andrew Patterson on March 3,2014. He escaped and committed suicide in an unfinished house at Versailles.
Neighbours said no one was in the house at the time of the fire which occurred less than one day after additional building materials were transported there to begin rehab works.

Scotiabank (Guyana), Habitat for Humanity and Courts Guyana had teamed up to upgrade the floors and kitchen cupboard and build a sanitary block.

Meanwhile, five persons were Sunday morning left homeless after a fire destroyed their house at Rome Industry, East Bank Demerara.

A couple and their three children, whose family name has been given as Marshall, lived there. No one was injured. Investigators believed that fire was caused by overloaded electrical wires

Demwaves was told that fuel for one of the fire tenders that was responding to the call at Mc Doom ran out.