Suspected arsonist held after Norton St house set on fire
-significant damage to structure
A woman who was seen setting a Norton Street house on fire has been detained by the police.
The Guyana Fire Service said in a release that it responded promptly to a fire at Lot 20 Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown yesterday at 6:40 am.
Water Tenders #85, #105, a water bowser and Land Rover #7, along with fifteen firefighters, were dispatched to the scene.
The affected structure, a twostorey wooden and concrete building, owned by the late Carlton Holder and occupied by Tinesa Lewis and fourteen others, sustained significant damage.
Fortunately, there were no reported homeless individuals.
The fire resulted in severe damage to a double bed frame, mattress, PVC ceiling, glass cabinet, and a glass door.
Neighbours took swift action, utilizing buckets of water to suppress the flames before the arrival of the Guyana Fire Service.
During investigations, Lewis reported that neighbours spotted smoke on the ground floor’s eastern side and promptly formed a bucket brigade, extinguishing the fire. Lewis said she suspected the fire was maliciously set, citing it as the third occurrence. However, neighbours and other residents denied witnessing malicious acts.
“A thorough inspection of the premises revealed CCTV cameras that showed a woman attempting to start a fire through a window, confirming that the fire was intentionally set”, the release said.
The matter was handed over to the Guyana Police Force, resulting in the arrest of the main suspect for further investigation.
“The Guyana Fire Service emphasizes the importance of community vigilance in preventing such incidents and commends the public-spirited citizens who assisted in extinguishing the fire”, the release said.