Guyana: Man in custody after fire destroys two-storey home in Salton Farm

Guyana: A man is in custody following a devastating blaze on Friday night that completely destroyed a two-storey uninsured home at Salton Farm, Corentyne. The fire is suspected to have been deliberately set, and authorities are questioning the individual in connection with the incident.

Rice farmer from Alness Village in police custody for suspicion of setting ablaze the two storey home after he reportedly threatened 44-year-old housewife Samantha Crawford earlier on Friday, about 4:30 p.m. stating that he is giving her 9 days to live and hours later her home was set ablaze with no one inside.

According to police reports the blaze began around 7:30 p.m. after Crawford and 38-year-old gold miner Terrence Edwards, her fiancé, had left their home to travel to Rose Hall Town.

Although, shortly after their arrival Crawford stated that she received a call from one of her neighbours, who told her that her house was on fire. She and her fiancé quickly left Rose Hall, and returned home to find her house already fully engulfed by the flame.

Shortly after, firefighters also arrived on the scene and managed to control the blaze but tragically the structure of the two-storey house was completely destroyed, with no injuries reported.

The authorities launched an investigation into the blaze and upon questioning of Crawford over who or what may have started the fire. Crawford revealed that earlier that Friday evening she had received threats from a rice farmer who she had a heated confrontation with.

As the farmer frequently leaves two of his horses in her yard and becomes verbally abusive whenever she raises objections. Crawford told police that after her last argument with the rice farmer, he had threatened her by telling her that she only had nine more days to live, before he left the area.

And based on the circumstances and the timing of the fire, she stated that she believes that the rice farmer from Alness Village may have been responsible for the setting ablaze of her two-storey home.

The destroyed house was not insured, although the police have since taken into custody the alleged rice farmer for questioning as the main suspect of the arson, investigations continue of the destructive fire.