Tragedy in Alberttown
By: Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
ALBERTTOWN, GEORGETOWN — New and harrowing details have emerged from the investigation into Tuesday evening’s devastating blaze at Lot 52 Fifth Street, Alberttown. Fire investigators have officially confirmed that the inferno, which reduced a massive three-story apartment building to ash, was accidentally sparked by unattended children playing with matches.
What began as a small flame on a foam mattress quickly escalated into a catastrophic fire that has left 44 people—the majority of them migrant workers,with absolutely nothing but the clothes on their backs.
The Cause: A Mattress and a Match
Sources familiar with the probe revealed that the fire started on the upper floors of the building.
- The Ignition: Children left without adult supervision were reportedly playing with matches when a foam mattress caught fire.
- Rapid Spread: Due to the foam’s highly combustible nature and the aged wooden and concrete structure, the flames spread “with terrifying speed,” engulfing the entire floor before an alarm could be raised.
The Response: Three Minutes Too Late
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has defended its response time, noting that they received the emergency call at 18:45 hrs and arrived on the scene within a remarkable three minutes.
- Already Engulfed: Despite the rapid arrival, the intensity of the “match-sparked” blaze made the building a towering inferno by the time hoses were deployed.
- Total Loss: The property, owned by 75-year-old Clinton Rollox and 60-year-old Roxanne Rollox of Sparendaam, was completely destroyed. Not a single piece of furniture or personal effect was salvaged.
Collateral Damage: Radiated Heat
The scale of the fire was so immense that it physically warped the landscape around Fifth Street.
- Radiated Heat: Investigators confirmed that several nearby buildings sustained significant damage. This was not caused by direct flames, but by radiated heat so intense it melted plastic trimmings and cracked glass in adjacent properties.
- Infrastructure Impact: Power lines in the immediate vicinity were also compromised, leaving portions of the block in darkness as technicians worked through the night.
A Final Warning on Supervision
As the 44 displaced residents begin the long, painful process of grappling with their losses, the Guyana Fire Service is using this tragedy as a grim reminder to parents and guardians. In a city built largely of wood, “seconds of unsupervised play” can lead to a lifetime of displacement. Authorities are currently coordinating with the Ministry of Human Services to provide emergency shelter and support for the victims, many of whom are foreign nationals with no local family to turn to.
