Teacher in shock after fire destroys D’Urban Backlands home
A Saturday afternoon fire has left Jason Wills, a long-time Durban Backlands resident and teacher at Richard Ishmael Secondary School, reeling after the sudden loss of his home and belongings.
The blaze erupted at Lot 209 Durban Backlands, where 54-year-old Wills has lived for over forty years. He recounted that he had just returned from running an errand in Ruimveldt and was downstairs when he noticed smoke coming from the upper flat.
“I came back home and everything seemed fine. A few minutes later, I saw smoke upstairs. I went to check and found the bedroom door locked. Before I knew it, the place was in flames,” Wills recalled, still visibly shaken.
Wills said he had not left anything plugged in and is unsure what started the fire.
“It’s shocking. I don’t know what could have caused it. I’m just trying to process everything,” he added.
He lost several valuables in the blaze. Wills was alone at the time, and fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) responded promptly and managed to contain the fire.
Now, Wills says he is focusing on what can be salvaged as he begins the difficult road to recovery.
“It all happened so fast. I’m still in shock… I’m looking at millions lost here,” he said.
