An incapacitated 90-year-old man was killed in a morning fire that robbed a three-bedroom wooden house in Diamond, Demerara East Bank (EBD).
The deceased pensioner is identified as Rupert Mc Lean Williams of Lot 1325 Section B, Block X, Great Diamond.
The fire happened some time after 08:00 h on Thursday. At the time, Williams was home alone and relatives suspect he may have lit the fire while trying to light a cigarette.
His daughter-in-law, Dorset Mac Cloud-Solomon, and her daughter were staying with him, along with a woman they had recently hired to look after the elderly man, who had broken one of his legs and use a wheelchair to move around.
According to Mac Cloud-Solomon, she had left home early Thursday morning to make some mistakes for the elderly man when she received a phone call informing her of the fire.
“I was in the pension place this morning (Thursday), when I got the message that the house was on fire … I left my daughter’s home with him and left some money. I told her to buy him a bag of tennis rolls and when he came back, he saw the place on fire, ”the woman told Guyana Times.
Williams had been left lying on a mattress in the back room of the house.
Neighbors said the fire started at the back of the house, where the kitchen is located as well.
However, Williams’ daughter-in-law told this newspaper that there was nothing on the stove at the time of the fire, but noted that the 90-year-old had cigarettes in his possession.
“There was nothing on, on the stove and I turned off all the lights in person… My bedroom carries most of the power which is why I make sure everything is off before I leave… But the man used to smoke. He had the cigarettes this morning (Thursday) when I left, ”Mac Cloud-Solomon recalled.
She further contacted this announcement that her father-in-law had recently given some money and had sent her daughter to buy him a pack of cigarettes several days ago.
“I said” Dad, you shouldn’t even be smoking “and I even call the neighbors and tell them that my dad and I have a lil problem because I tell him not to smoke. He is still arguing with me and the last thing he says to me is “I’m not a lil boy, don’t talk to me how you want. You think you’re my mum ”and we end it then,” recalled the grieving woman.
Meanwhile, neighbors say by the time they noticed the fire Thursday morning, it was too late to save Williams.
They complained when the fire tenders arrived, the building was completely engulfed in flames and more so, there was no immediate water source to take advantage of.
However, firefighters were able to contain and eventually extinguish the fire.
Mac Cloud-Solomon, wife of Williams’ only surviving son, lives in the United States. She returned to Guyana some time ago with her husband.
“My husband left, but he told me to find someone and screen him to look after him. We find some and the woman started working [Wednesday] night, but I sent her for a TB test [Thursday] morning, because we don’t want anyone with tuberculosis around it … This old man means the world to us. Since the age of 13, I lost my father and he was the only father figure I ever had in my life. So, I always grab it, ”shouted the woman.
The lost remains of the elderly man were removed and transported to the Lyken Funeral home. A post-mortem examination is expected soon. (G8)