Early morning fire guts Chinese supermarket at Timehri

Jan 11, 2024 News

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…13th building razed by fire this year

Kaieteur News – As an upsurge in fires continues stretch the capabilities of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), firefighters were called to quell a blaze which engulfed the Church Hill Supermarket at Hyde Park, Timehri , East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Wednesday morning.

The Fire Service noted that at 04:28 hrs on Wednesday, it was alerted today, the Fire Service was alerted to a fire at Track ‘K’ Hyde Park, Timehri.

In response , 10 firefighters from the Timehri Fire Station were immediately dispatched to the scene with fire and water tenders.

The GFS said the structure involved was a two-storey wooden and concrete building owned by Rabindra Kalnarine, which he operated as a supermarket. As a result of the blaze, the building and its contents were destroyed.

In addition, the GFS said a two-storey house at the same address, where Kalnarine and his family resided, was also affected by the fire.

“Radiated heat from the building of origin caused a quantity of polyvinyl chloride ceiling, a wooden panel door, three (3) sash windows, and some paint work all on the first floor to be destroyed,” the Fire Service said.

Firefighters were able to quell the blaze. Fire officials are currently investigating the cause of the fire.

The incident occurred less than 24 hours after two houses were destroyed by fire in separate sections of Georgetown.

On Tuesday January 9, at around 14:05 hrs, firefighters were dispatched to put out a fire at Lot 126 “C” Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

The GFS said upon arrival, a two-storey wooden and concrete house was observed engulfed in flames and smoke. The building, which was occupied by 39-year-old Latoya Alexander and her three family members, was completely destroyed, leaving them homeless.

“The purported cause of the blaze is an overloaded electrical circuit, which resulted in arcing and sparking and the subsequent ignition of nearby combustible materials,” the Fire Service said.

Also on Tuesday, at approximately 14:37 hrs, firemen responded to a fire at Lot 480 Kiskadee Drive. South Ruimveldt Gardens.

The GFS said fire gutted a two-storey wooden and concrete building owned by 46-year-old Abigail Lynch, who lived there with her family of four; they were left homeless following the blaze.

The fire reportedly started after a child was playing with a lighter which led to naked flames coming into contact with an exercise book. The book fell and ignited nearby combustible materials, the GFS said.

On Monday January 8, around 17:45hrs, a fire gutted a home at Lot 2114 ‘B’ Field Sophia, leaving 64-year-old David Williams, along with 49-year-old Shannon Dover homeless. The GFS said the fire of unknown origin, engulfed the house in flames, destroying the building and its contents completely.

On Saturday January 6, the Fire Service responded to a fire at Lot 262 South Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara. The inferno destroyed a two-storey wooden and concrete building owned by 42-year-old Vanessa Lewis, displacing her and five others. Electrical circuit overload, triggered arcing and sparking, leading to the ignition of nearby combustible materials, is suspected as being the cause of the inferno.

Earlier on January 6, a team from the Eccles Fire Station rushed to Lot 16 New Providence, EBD, where a two-storey wooden and concrete building, owned by 80-year-old Florence Ramsaroop and occupied by 28-year-old Seth Persaud, was engulfed in flames. The house which also belonged to former Chairman of People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Bishwaishwar ‘Cammie’ Ramsaroop, was razed within minutes.

Also on January 6, a fire gutted home at Lot 66 Remus Agricola, East Bank Demerara (EBD). A distressing scene unfolded as a two-storey wooden and concrete building, belonging to 45-year-old Howard Samuels, was razed by fire. Occupied by 36-year-old Tenefa Samuels and her family members, the inferno left them homeless.

In addition, on January 6 during the morning hours, fire crews from various stations –including Central, Campbellville, and Alberttown – rushed to the ‘C’ Field Sophia Reserve in Georgetown, in response to a devastating fire that engulfed a one-flat, wooden building under construction. Owned and inhabited by 21-year-old Isaiah Thomas, the blaze obliterated the structure and all its contents, rendering Thomas homeless. Investigators suspect the fire was deliberately set by unidentified individuals.

On January 5, a Venezuelan national died in a fire at Plantain Walk, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD) which gutted a double-flat building. The man, Richard Lozado, 47, was installing windows at the house on behalf of the owners. Unknown to them, he slept overnight at the bottom flat of the building when tragedy struck.

On January 3, a fire which was said to be electrical in origin gutted a house at Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara.

On January 2, fire gutted a single flat house at Pump Road, Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. The small wooden structure was occupied by Ovena Braithwaite and her four children. The woman was reportedly cooking on a kerosene stove at the time. The stove exploded and as a result, the flames spread to the walls of the home; it was destroyed within minutes.

Later that evening, fire at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice resulted in the death of schoolteacher , Tokant Deokharran. The man’s house was completely gutted.

Tokant’s neighbour also lost her house after the fire razed her home.

On Wednesday, the Fire Service advised citizens to equip homes with fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and fire alarms.

Do not leave children unattended or at home without adult supervision, the GFS said while calling on parents and guardians to educate children on the dangers of fire starters -matches and lighters- and warn them about their use or misuse.

The GFS also advised that children should be kept away from the cooking area, and ensure matches and lighters are out of their reach at all times.

“Be vigilant, exercise caution and practice fire safety and prevention to avoid home fires,” the Fire Service said.

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• Abigail Lynch, Bishwaishwar ‘Cammie’ Ramsaroop, Guyana Fire Service, Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara

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