who had rushed to the scene
| An immaculate fence and a concrete and wooden shell are all that’s left of a Christianburg property that has graced the community for more than four decades.The remains of the siblings’ home.The property, located at the head of Matthews Lane, was a testament to the handiwork of hardworking and meticulous carpenter and joiner, Clement Sumner.Sumner’s house, destroyed in last Saturday night’s fire, was a legacy he left to his children, two of whom occupied it until its destruction.His youngest son Rennison (Reno), who occupied the bottom flat, said that he was alone at home when someone shouted out to him that smoke was emanating from the top floor.“After that is like I get so confused that I run outside, then run back inside to try to see what I could save, but the heat was too much, I had to run out and leave everything.” Reno estimates his personal losses at over $1M.His sister, Ashanti, who occupied the upper flat with her husband, estimates her losses at much more.The siblings were left with just the clothes on their backs and their mobile phones.Ashanti was at work when she received the dreadful news.At present, both are contemplating their next move, and would welcome any assistance.The fire which destroyed the Sumner house reportedly started shortly after 20:00 hrs on Saturday.A man who was in the vicinity recalled hearing an explosion just before seeing the house become engulfed in flames.The property was owned by the late Clement Sumner and had become a famous landmark in the Christianburg community because of its unique architecture.APNU member of Parliament Rennis Morian, who had rushed to the scene, praised the efforts of the firemen, saying that they were doing a gallant job, but fighting a losing battle.“This equipment is obsolete; it was used elsewhere then sent here, so the hose does not have the force to out any fire.”The firemen managed to prevent it from spreading to a nearby residence.But residents of Wismar are once again calling for a fire station on the West Bank, as the lone fire tender at Mackenzie has to serve both banks of the river.Their pleas were reiterated by Morian who further pointed out, “It is time the Government stop holding the people of Region 10 to ransom and provide us at Wismar with a modern fire station with proper equipment. We also need a vehicle that can navigate the unique terrain of hills and valleys that is part of our topography. It is time we get equipment that can actually fight fires, and stop frustrating our firemen. They’re hardworking but they can only do so much with what they presently have, which is obsolete!”There has been no report yet as to what may have caused the fire, but speculation is rife that it may have been electrical in origin. |
