Following the fiery death of a pensioner in Linden on Monday, July 26, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has released a statement, urging caution and encouraging citizens to practice safety measures to prevent fires.
Police 83-year-old pensioner, Norma Semple, of Block 22 Wismar, Linden, who lived alone, died when fire of “unknown origin” completely destroyed her one-story wooden house on Monday, between 2:15 and 2:50 hours. Another house, located at Lot 573, Block 22, Wisroc, Linden sustained damages as a result of the heat from Semple’s house fire, the GFS said.
In a similar incident that occurred on Thursday, July 22, 2021, a six-year-old boy admitted to using a match to start a fire at his parent’s house at Lot 12 Calcutta, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara. The house was completely destroyed.
As such, the GFS has called on citizens “to be very careful” as well as provide measures to guide them.
Some important measures include:
- Ensure all appliances are turned off and unplugged before leaving a room or building.
- Never leave children unattended or within the reach of fire starters and flammable items.
- Never leave cooking unattended.
- Always keep children a safe distance from the cooking area.
- Desist from overloading electrical sockets, e.g. overloading drop cords and power strips with various appliances.
“The Fire Service is recommending the installation of smoke detectors in all homes and businesses so that persons can be alerted in the event of a fire. Additionally, portable fire extinguishers can be effective in fighting small contained fires. Keep fire extinguishers in an accessible area and ensure that you are trained in its use,” the GFS statement concluded.
