– after Kilcoy house fire
-by Kyler Rollins
A family in Kilcoy, Berbice is grieving the loss of a 45-year-old father who died in a house fire, while his nine-year-old son escaped and ran to alert relatives.
The charred remains of Thamsingh Rampersaud, a bell loader operator, were discovered inside his Lot 9, Second Street, Kilcoy home after firefighters brought the blaze under control.
The fire reportedly broke out around 18:30 hours on Sunday with firefighters arriving to find the building completely engulfed in flames.
Rampersaud’s brother, Cheenarine, told reporters that relatives made desperate attempts to reach him, but the intense heat and flames prevented them from entering the burning building.
“Me always focus seh a bed wah he a sleep pan, a bed deh straight pan a window suh. Deh me a focus seh me can get in deh fuh see am. But fire too much deh and me nah really itate seh he move out. He move out and he gone till a sink corner. Like he bin try fuh come out and he lock a grill pan inside and he nah mek am fuh come out but me hear he mek one noise and seh bai. So now fire tek all over and me can’t do nothing. Me try fi keep close but a heat too much,” he said.
The family said the 9-year-old child reported that an electrical fan had sparked a fire which spread to the bed while his father was asleep.
However, investigators have not officially established the cause of the blaze.
Meanwhile, Rampersaud’s 73-year-old mother, Ajumatie Prithtipaul described her son as respectful and caring, saying he never spoke to her in a disrespectful manner.
As the family comes to terms with the loss, attention is now turning to the care and well-being of the young survivor.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fire continue.
