General Manager of the Avinash branch stores, Harry Panday says his business practices on Water Street had been exemplary until two recent incidents which “were unfortunate and serious”. He referred to the short-lived blaze at Giftland Office Max on Monday night as an accident.
The businessman accepts culpability for the fire which broke out near the generating room at Giftland since it was triggered by welding activities on his neighbouring property, but he said that the contracted workers had downed tools hours prior to the fire.
The Water Street property which Panday purchased from government several years ago is crowded with old vehicles, many grounded near the southern half of the compound in close proximity to Giftland. The businessman said he has been forced to cut up the abandoned vehicles because it is impossible to remove them “without tearing them up”.
Panday told Stabroek News that he has hired a team to cut up the vehicles and that “welding is involved”.
He said that on Monday afternoon sometime before 5 pm the men had finished working and had left, but according to him the necessary precautions were not taken. He said that something left on the site ignited hours later and sparked the fire at the neighbouring store.
The businessman repeatedly called the fire scare “unfortunate”, and disclosed that there had been a previous fire in his compound “which was more serious”. The first incident was also triggered by the welding activities, Panday said, admitting that the fire service and police were called in. However, he said that his company was not burning rubbish on that occasion as suggested.
In light of both incidents the businessman has halted all welding works in the southern half of the compound. He said that efforts to clear the compound of the abandoned vehicles continue, but that new precautionary measures would be put in place to prevent a recurrence.
Panday was adamant that his behaviour has not been reckless within the past two months, but he admitted that the incidents could have been avoided.
He said that employees in the compound as well as the contracted workers have since been placed on high alert “since there would be no repeats”.
The businessman said that the concerns being raised by Roy Beepat of Giftland Office Max are legitimate, but said too that there are also concerns at his end about emissions from the generators at the neighbouring store into Avinash compound.
Further Panday said that he has no issues with Beepat “because we have been in business for years”. He said that he is interested in having “dialogue with Mr. Beepat on the concerns that he has”. He added that within two weeks the clean-up activities within his compound should wrap up.
The fire at Giftland Office Max was tamed within minutes of it erupting after employees at the store managed to extinguish it. Some twenty fire extinguishers were used in the effort prior to the fire service arriving.
