Slack illegal electricity connection causes fire

Last Updated on Sunday, 7 July 2024, 11:40 by Writer

A slack illegal electricity connection on Saturday caused a fire that destroyed a shack and severely damaged a house next door in East Ruimveldt squatting area, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said.

“The purported cause of the fire was identified as a slack connection of illegal wiring, which resulted in arcing and sparking, subsequently igniting nearby combustible material,” the GFS said in a statement about the blaze that occurred shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday.

The destruction of the shack and its contents has left 39-year-old Brandon Britton homeless.

The GFS said radiated heat destroyed the western wall of a neighbouring one-flat wooden building owned by 39-year-old Ruby Francis who lives there with her family of eight.

After receiving the report at 11:11 a.m., fire fighters arrived on the scene at 11:13 a.m. and the first water jet was deployed a minute later. Two water tenders and one water carrier carrying a total of 6,434 litres of water and 13 firefighters responded to the fire call, GFS said.

The GFS again warned people to desist from using illegal connections for electricity. “These connections present a serious risk to both life and property since they could cause fires or electrocutions,” the Service said.