The fire of unknown origin, which began just before 14:00 hrs (2 p.m.), completely gutted the back apartment of the three-apartment building leaving Pansy Ramsharan, her husband and six children homeless.

Occupants of the front section of the building also suffered losses and damage to property as a result of the fire. Quick-thinking neighbours entered the lower flat of the building and removed the belongings of the occupant.

According to Marcia Kellawan, who occupies the front of the building with her husband and five children, Ramsharan (her sister-in-law) suffered major losses since her home was well furnished.

She said Ramsharan lost in the blaze a computer, a living-room suite, a television set and a large quantity of kitchen utensils.

One resident noted that the prompt response of the Guyana Fire Service averted a major disaster.

The occupant of the lower flat was not at home when the fire started. However, alert neighbours fetched out items of furniture and personal effects to prevent them from being burnt or damaged.

When the Chronicle arrived on the scene, clothing, kitchen utensils, furniture, and other household items were stacked in the yard.

Ms Kellawan, who also operates a small business in the yard, said that she had left her business to go into the house to collect her purse, when she saw fire coming out of a window at the back of the building.

She quickly raised an alarm and then rushed to get her husband and two of her children out of the building. The children had been asleep at the time.

She felt that because the wooden structure was very old, the fire spread rapidly and gutted one section of the building.