Former K/NEWS sports journalist loses home in Kitty fire
Jan 24, 2025
-Wife suffers minor burns
Kaieteur News- Fire of unknown origin destroyed the William Street, Kitty, Georgetown home of former Kaieteur News sports journalist Rawle Welch on Thursday.
The fire, which started between 15:00h and 16:00h left Welch’s wife Cecilia nursing minor burns to her right arm.
When Kaieteur News arrived at the scene, the entire top-flat of the two-storey house was engulfed in flames that quickly spread to a neighbouring house.
The Welch’s William Street, Kitty home on Fire
Kitty residents told Kaieteur News that they saw thick black smoke in the area but initially thought someone was burning garbage. However, a closer examination showed that the Welch’s home was being destroyed by a raging fire.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, they quickly worked on saving both the house the fire started in and the neighbouring building.
As the strong breeze continuously pushed the flames towards the house to the right of the burning building, neighbours stormed out of their homes fearing that the blaze could get out of hand.
Firefighters arriving on the scene
In a nearby yard stood Cecilia looking-on in distress as her house burned.
Burn injuries were clearly visible to her right arm. The distraught woman told Kaieteur News that she was in the lower flat of her home when her neighbour called and informed her that the house was on fire.
“By time I reach-up, I see the back-room on fire,” Mrs. Welch said while adding that no one was in the room at the time, leading her to believe that the cause of the fire may be electrical.
Cecilia explained that she was burned while trying to put out the fire in the room by her-self but because of its rage, she had to abandon her efforts.
“Everything gone…money, clothes gone,” she remarked as she stood barefooted contemplating her next move.
“I ain’t even know where I gon stay tonight,” the distraught woman told Kaieteur News.
Cecilia was subsequently taken for treatment by the Guyana Fire Service’s (GFS) medical team.
Firefighters saving the nearby house from a total destruction.
Her husband, Rawle was not at home at the time the fire started. In an interview with Capitol News, the sport journalist said he had left home to collect one of his children from work when he received a call that his home was on fire.
He told Capitol News, “I am glad to know that ma family intact.”
Rawle said he lived in his home for more than half of his life.
“A mean… a got to sit down and discuss with my wife what is our next move from here; we lost everything.”
Meanwhile, Kaieteur News understands that the top flat of the neighbouring house was badly damaged while the lower flat was water logged. An occupant of that house said that she had to rush out of the house with her young child.
The woman said that she is forced to seek lodging by her relatives until the house could be repaired.
It is unclear who occupied the upper flat of the two-storey house.
The GFS is investigating the Thursday afternoon fire.
(Former K/NEWS sports journalist loses home in Kitty fire)
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