Fire yesterday destroyed the interior of the Alberttown home of self-styled spiritualist, Patricia Alves, around 10:45 a.m. Stabroek News spoke with a resident living nearby who said the property comprises two houses joined together and for the past two weeks, persons unknown have been removing items during the wee hours of the morning.
According to the source, the emptying of the houses began after the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) disconnected the electricity supply to the buildings, and the last incident occurred at about 3 a.m. yesterday.
This newspaper understands that shortly before the flames were seen coming from the building, there were two explosions, each within minutes of the other. Fire tenders were contacted and arrived on the scene in sufficient time to prevent the blaze from spreading, the source related. Alves is incarcerated on a charge of murdering Camille Seenauth. A preliminary inquiry into the charge is being conducted.
Recently, Alves' son Oswald Matthews was placed on $125,000 bail for allegedly stealing $760,000 in clothing, kitchen wares and other items including a television set and a gas stove from the said premises. Matthews was ordered to return to court on October 29.