A mid-afternoon fire on Wednesday has left Dawn Hopkinson and her elderly father, Albert Hopkinson, known as ‘Major’, homeless. The house at Third Avenue, Bartica became engulfed in flames around 13:00 hrs with the fire suspected to have started in one of the rooms in the upper flat.
Neigbhours rushed to the scene after seeing smoke emanating from a room window. At the time, Albert Hopkinson was upstairs in his bedroom, while his daughter was reportedly cooking downstairs.
When the fire service arrived, the wooden structure was already fully ablaze, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Despite efforts from onlookers and neighbours, the fire rapidly spread and could not be immediately contained.
In an act of bravery, Sinead Holder, a Bartica resident, along with two others, entered the burning building and successfully rescued Albert Hopkinson who is in his early 90s and suffered severe third-degree burns. Meanwhile, his daughter courageously attempted to salvage their belongings from the inferno, resulting in significant second-degree burns for herself.
Emergency responders quickly transported both Albert and Dawn Hopkinson to the Bartica Regional Hospital, where they are receiving ongoing medical treatment. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire, which remains undetermined.
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