Murray’s Village fire

Police are investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed a house at Murray’s Village, leaving one elderly man homeless.{{more}}

The wooden abode of 79-year-old Randolph Soleyn was destroyed after it caught fire some time after 5 pm Monday, January 25.

John Soleyn, Randolph’s nephew, told SEARCHLIGHT that he was getting ready to watch the budget debate taking place at the House of Assembly on television when a friend alerted him to the fire.

John said that some of the villagers started wetting his house to prevent the fire from spreading.

The measure proved effective. However, a small section of the concrete house was damaged.

John and his sons are thankful that there was no loss of life and commended the fire department for their swift action in containing the fire preventing any further loss.

“My entire house could have been destroyed,” John Soleyn said.

John’s son, Gregory, told SEARCHLIGHT that he was yet to have a look at the extent of the damage to his room.

Gregory indicated that he did, however, lose some chickens that were located in a pen behind the wooden structure that was destroyed in the fire.

He said that some friends were able to save his clothing and were able to relocate his goats to a point of safety.

Gregory also expressed his gratitude in that there was no loss of life or that the house his mother built was not totally destroyed.