The Guyana Fire Service is currently investigating the circumstances which led to a fire in Berbice early this morning. The Fire Department said it was made aware of the fire at 06:39hrs and Water Tenders (WT) #74 and #101 from the New Amsterdam Fire Station were immediately dispatched to the Lot 2734 Pilot Street New Amsterdam, Berbice location.
The building involved was a two-storey wooden and concrete building, owned by John Liddell and occupied by Oscar Liddell.
As a result of the fire, 75-year-old Oscar Liddell tragically lost his life and the entire building and its contents were destroyed.
The purported cause of the fire is a lighted gas stove left unattended which flared up and ignited nearby combustible materials.
The GFS continues to advise that citizens equip their homes with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers to be alerted in the event of a fire. It also advised that persons ensure stoves are turned off properly after cooking or when leaving the kitchen, and to refrain from overloading power strips or electrical circuits.
