Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM
Stabroek Bazaar fire…GPL requests estimated loss from stallholder
Around mid morning yesterday stallholders of the Stabroek Bazaar were running to safety
The burnt out stall with some of the damaged goods in the wake of the Good Friday fire.
as the wires on a lamp pole started to spark. According to reports from the area, it was the exact pole that caught fire early Good Friday morning causing a woman to lose over $10M in groceries and other valuables.
This publication was told that around 10:00 hours yesterday a loud explosion was heard coming from the pole. The noise was accompanied by sparks. Persons said that they spent almost an hour on their mobile phones trying to contact the Guyana Power and Light Company but to no avail.
The stallholders expressed their concerns over the incident which was just one of many leading up to the fire. They are worried that the sparking pole will again cause a fire which may be more devastating and costly to many.
One stallholder said while the fire service responded promptly during the Good Friday fire and was able to contain the blaze to only one stall this may not be the case the next time a fire occurs.
Meanwhile, Chandroutie Dass who lost her stall on Good Friday said she has been operating still at her burnt out location as she awaits word from the Utility Company. Dass who spoke with this publication yesterday said that on Tuesday an official from the Guyana Power and Light Company visited her market stall and did some inspection of the property.
According to Dass, the official asked her to prepare an estimate for the repairs to her structure as well as an estimate for the items she lost as a result of the fire. Dass said that this gesture has given her some sort of hope of rebuilding her once thriving business. She however maintained that she will be much more comfortable when she sees an agreement in writing.
Around 03:00 hours on Good Friday, Chandroutie Dass, said that she received a telephone call informing her that her business, Stall Number 149-152, was on fire.
Stall holder Chandroutie Dass who lost some $10M in the fire.
Dass said that she immediately raced down to the scene but by the time she got there the fire was already out. The woman said that upon arrival she noticed dozens of fire fighters at the scene as well as persons who appeared to be working with the Guyana Power and Light Company.
She said that the fire service did a good job at containing the fire since all of the other stalls are very close to each other. The two stalls located on the right and left of Dass’s stall were merely scorched.
The woman had stated that she and other stallholders in the area made several complaints to the Power Company about a transformer which would spark when it rains or whenever there were high winds.
The woman said that it appears as if their complaints fell on deaf ears, since to her knowledge no one ever came to check out the transformer.
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