Fire renders canefarmer homeless — more than $200,000 in losses

A 57-year-old Debe father of three was not in a celebratory mood on Father’s Day yesterday as his house was almost completely burnt to the ground due to what he claims was a faulty electrical supply.

Indar Persad, of 63 Ramai Trace lamented: “This is the hardest day. We have nothing today, and I have no place to sleep.” Persad’s home was gutted shortly after midnight Thursday after neighbours saw sparks on the light pole connected to his house. The canefarmer said he could only look on helplessly as the fire razed through his house which he lived in for almost 30 years. While he said officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Electrical Com-mission (TTEC) had since visited him three times. He added that he was contemplating taking legal action if he was not compensated for his losses. “I am waiting to hear what they have to say. According to their response to what I have lost here, I will put the situation in a lawyer’s hands.”

TTEC has taken statements from him and neighbours regarding the fire and Persad said TTEC told him the remains would be inspected by their officers today. On Wednesday night, Persad was liming at a bar obliquely opposite from his house when he was alerted by the shouts of the bar’s proprietor, Ramdaye Lakhan. Lakhan said: “I saw fire on the lamp-post and within two minutes the fire spread across to the house. I started bawling out, “Fire!” and he (Persad) rushed out and all the other neighbours rushed out with their hoses.”

According to Persad, the fire spread quickly through his concrete and wooden structure, too overwhelming for water hoses to control it. He then turned his attention to his son’s car that was parked under the house. “The car was already on fire. I run behind the bamboo fence and started wetting it and around it. Eventually we were able to get close and push the car out.” The canefarmer said he had estimated his losses at $180,000, excluding some US$10,000  worth of machinery which his son, Stanley, 26, had in his downstairs apartment. Investigations are continuing.