Welding near foam mattress caused ECD hardware bond fire - GFS

Welding near foam mattress caused ECD hardware bond fire – GFS

Nov 30, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The fire which ravaged Zaid Mohamed and Sons Hardware Store located at Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Monday was caused by flying embers from welding activities near to a foam mattress, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said Tuesday.

In a press release, the GFS said that “welding was being done in close proximity to a foam mattress” and the flying embers, according to their investigation, “came into contact with the mattress and ignited”.

The fire reportedly started around 16:35hrs on Monday and firefighters from the Central, West Ruimveldt, Alberttown, Campbellville, and Melanie fire stations, along with two ambulances and Emergency Medical Technicians, were immediately dispatched to the location but had difficulty arriving at the location due to rush hour traffic and vehicle blockages at the site. The teams arrived at about 16:51h.

Fire fighters reportedly managed to get the blaze under control around 18:00hrs using original tank supply and foam. The GFS reported that during the ordeal, there were several explosions of flammable compounds (oils, thinners, sheet racks, ply-board etc.).

The flammable compounds presented a clear danger to firefighters and due to the magnitude of the fire, two firefighters suffered smoke inhalation. The firefighters were transported to the hospital where they received medical treatment. Notably, there were no other injuries reported.

Firefighters on Monday battling the blaze.

During the firefighters’ quest to get the fire under control, explosions were heard coming from inside the warehouse.

The Fire Service was unable to save the building and the contents therein. The Fire Service said that there were no fire suppressants (extinguishers, smoke detectors) within the building and that the correct safety measures were not being followed.

“The Guyana Fire Service would like to advise citizens to be mindful of fire prevention methods, get equipped with fire suppressants, and exercise caution within homes and businesses. The GFS would also like to thank the Guyana Police Force for their support and assistance during the ordeal,” the Fire Service said.

Meanwhile, Businessman Zaid Mohammed told reporters that he was in his office, located to the front of the hardware bond, when he received a phone call around 16:30hours informing him about the fire.

Mohammed stated that he immediately contacted the fire department who responded to the emergency call. He said that at the time of the fire none of his six employees was at the warehouse.

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