Bush fire destroys Fyzabad house

A BUSH fire set by hunters on Sunday is being blamed for  destroying a house  at Sewlal Trace, Fyzabad. According to reports, the blaze rapidly became unmanageable and spread to the home of a retired employee of TTPost, completely destroying the structure.

Neither the owner of the house, 61-year-old John Priam, nor his wife Iris Priam, 57, was home at the time. The fire was set around 3 pm and by 6 pm it had reached the two-storey house. When the house started burning, a call was made to the Siparia Fire Station and one of the nearer neighbours used water from the nearby dam, Naked Bay, to try to put out the blaze but there was little he could do. By the time fire officers arrived on the scene some 20 minutes later it was too late to save the house. The fire fighters were led by Fire Station Officer Collymore and Fire Sub Officer Asson.

A Ford Escort motor car parked downstairs the house was also destroyed along with furniture and appliances. Total damage has been estimated at $100,000. The Priams are now staying at another house in Ramatali Trace Fyzabad. T&TEC officials and police officers from the Fyzabad Police Station re-visited the scene yesterday. The hunting season has been closed for one month but investigators said hunters in the district often set fires to chase prey into the open. Often, the officers stated, hunters leave the fires unattended. PC Khan of the Siparia Police Station is continuing inquiries.