Illegal connections set off fire at Bourda market stalls

Oct 17, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Three stalls at Bourda and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown were gutted by an early morning fire on Monday due to illegal electricity connections.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) yesterday reported that around 7:40hrs they received a call and was alerted of the fire at the location. Upon arrival at the scene, the Fire Service observed a one-flat wooden stall on fire and owned by Norlana Brown. At the time of the fire, the stall was being used as a cosmetology stall. As a result of the fire, the stall and its contents were destroyed, the GFS said in a statement.

It was reported too that another stall – 13A owned by Vanessa Peters and occupied as a cosmetology stall, was affected by the heat resulting in the southern external wall being severely damaged and 3.5m of PVC ceiling being completely destroyed. Another structure, Stall #2, owned by Samantha Glasgow and occupied as Samantha’s Shoe Box and Clothing Store, was also affected by radiated heat, resulting in the northern external wall being severely damaged, and one solar panel, one CCTV circuit camera, and an AC unit completely destroyed.

The stalls which were affected and engulfed by a fire at Bourda and Charlotte Streets yesterday.

According to the Fire Service, “the fire was caused by an illegal connection causing overload, overheating, and resulting in arcing and sparking as a result of using faulty electrical wires to power several stalls.”

Meanwhile the Guyana Fire Service continues to warn against the use of illegal connections for electricity.

An illegal electricity connection is an unlawful connection to the electrical installation in an effort to pay less (or simply not pay) for the energy consumed. It poses a significant danger to both the individuals working on the installations and to all residents of the area.

According to the Fire Service, the chances of fire and electrical overloads are increased with illegal connections, which can cause serious damage to households and businesses. An electrical overload occurs when too much current passes through an electric circuit. The wires heat and can melt, with the risk of starting a fire. Slack connections could be either external or internal and occur when the connection is not electro-mechanically sound, thus resulting in electrical arcing that leads to fire, the Fire Service explained.

The agency also appealed for citizens to desist from using illegal electricity connections and that citizens should remain vigilant and to equip their homes and businesses with fire alarms, fire extinguishers, and smoke detectors.

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Bourda and Charlotte Streets, fire, Georgetown, Market, stalls

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