14 people, 1 dog homeless after Debe fire

ONE of the 14 people left homeless in a fire at Gandhi Village, Debe, has called on the public to adopt the family's beloved pet dog, saying he too “badly needs a home.”

Uncertain about the future for herself and her family, Aliema Mobin told Newsday they can neither care for themselves nor the dog, Cinnapuff.

The mother of four said, “We have nowhere to go. We lost everything in the fire.

"I would be very happy if anyone can adopt him. Cinnapuff badly needs a home too.”

At about 1.30 pm on Wednesday, the fire broke out in one of the five apartment building. A report said the flames quickly spread, damaging three apartments and leaving the 14, including eight children, homeless. One of the homeless is a pensioner who is also an amputee.

Mobin, who is Guyanese, had been a tenant for over two years. She lives with her husband and four children, aged 16 months, two, three and six.

Mobin said she was feeding her youngest child a bottle on Wednesday afternoon when she heard two faint noises, butpaid no mind. Shortly afterwards, she heard an explosion and realised the building was burning.

She was with the children and rushed them out to safety. Neighbours were also alerted and someone took Cinnapuff to safety. Cuddling her dog, she said she was unable to save any household items as her main focus was saving the children.

“My husband worked very hard, he worked long hours and we were planning to move back to Guyana and start a business.

"We sell brand-named clothes, fashion jewellery, Indian wear, all sorts of things. We even lost $3,8000 which were had to help pay for the plane tickets. We have nowhere to go.”

The family spent the night at the home of a villager.

Other homeless tenants spent the night elsewhere. A relative of the owner of the building declined to speak.

Officers from the fire prevention department of the South Fire Headquarters at Mon Repos have revisited the building. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.