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By Latoya Giles and Mondale SmithOne day after fire destroyed two houses and damaged two others on Waterloo Street, the victims are counting their losses which they say exceed $30M. They are also forced to contemplate their next move.Among them is 23-year-old Adrian Gajraj, his wife Shivanie Mootilall,Cheap Jerseys From China, and their six-year-old son Alex.The air condition technician said the fire destroyed all his earthly possessions as well as the tools that he needed to earn and take care of his family. He got the news that his house was on fire at about 21:30hrs on Tuesday via cellular phone.He recalled, “My wife shouted that I should come home quickly because the house was on fire; I just dropped everything and rushed home”.When he arrived the other house was already destroyed and his house was already on fire.Gajraj said, “I could have taken it if was an accident or electrical or something like that. But to know that a person poured gasoline and lit the house I cannot accept.”When he got home “everything was already destroyed. We ain’t save nothing; not even we important documents.”The three-bedroom house which was totally destroyed by the blaze belonged to his Canada-based grandfather, Fredrick Gajraj but the young man and family had called it home for the past six years.Gajraj values the house and its contents about $9M.He described the neighbour who admitted to police that she started the fire as “crazy” and said that based on the woman’s erratic behavior over the past two months neighbours and prominent actor Henry Rodney made several reports to the police.“Every time they get call they always telling you must come make a report the next day but they never coming to the scene,Jordan Shoes For Sale,” the man said.Gajraj who lived next door to where the fire started, said that his family now resides with in-laws on East Coast Demerara. To him “life will never be the same”.Joan Henry,Wholesale Cheap Jerseys China, the wife of local actor Henry Rodney,NFL Jerseys China Online, said that she was in the bathroom when she was alerted to the fire and ran out of the building.Her family including her 87-year-old mother,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Marjorie Stewart, as well as her children Tamara, Tuana, and Tchaiko, along with her granddaughter, Divine, were all at home as was her husband.“We lost everything of value dating back to days before we got married, things we acquired during marriage and even sentimental valuables that are priceless as well as our books and scripts… everything.”However, despite her family losses that value way beyond $15M she has not lost heart. Yesterday she said she believes that she is being tested by the Almighty.“It was a test, I’m blessed and highly favoured. I have a lot to be grateful for,” Henry said while standing two lots away from what remains of her burnt out house.She said that the family is receiving tremendous support from relatives and friends and is taking things one day at a time.Henry said when the fire broke out I barely was able to get myself covered and existed the building.She said it was way past bed time for her family and her youngest daughter, a St Roses High school student and her granddaughter had all turned in to bed.On the night of the fire Henry Rodney told this newspaper that he came home around 21:30hrs and was on the computer doing some work. He said that he finished and allowed his older daughter to use the computer. Not long after, he smelled something burning.Rodney said he looked through one of the windows and saw a thick cloud of smoke. He said that within minutes the building, including the stairs,NFL Jerseys Wholesale, was on fire.Rodney said that all he could have thought of doing was getting his family and fleeing from the building.He further told Kaieteur News that the alleged arsonist had repeatedly threatened to torch the structure if anyone tried to put her out.According to him, she made good on her threats after a sister called telling her that she needed to vacate the house. Rodney also said that he had made several reports to the police about the woman’s behavior but to no avail.Also suffering losses were Latchman Singh and Charles Hetemeyer of lots 137 F South half south half and 137 D.They were happy that their homes were saved and are in high praises of the fire service for their work.Their houses were both scorched and Hetemeyer who purchased his house in 2004 valued his damages at about $1M while Latchman said he could not put a cost to the destruction.The woman 39-year-old Ashanti Goodridge,Wholesale China Jerseys, called Carol Ann, who is accused of setting the building on fire, turned herself in and was being questioned at the Brickdam Police Station.Goodridge reportedly told the ranks that she had been going through a tough time with her sister, that she had financial problems and wanted the tenants out of the property, all of which prompted her to start the fire. She also told the ranks that she used gasoline to set the house on fire.A nearby resident told Kaieteur News that he was in the area when he saw the landlady set a tree near to the wood and concrete structure alight.He said that the flames then spread to the building. |
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