-60 without jobs, arson suspected
Fire yesterday destroyed the ND&S Furniture Store and its factory at La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara leaving millions in losses and 60 employees jobless.
The inferno, which began at around 11 pm on Wednesday, raged for hours and remained smoldering up to yesterday morning. The fire service’s response to the blaze was criticized as the fighting of the fire was hobbled by limited water. “Everything my parents have worked for is destroyed,” an emotional Sasha Mahadeo told Stabroek News. The business, located at Lot 40 B and C, Gap Road, La Jalousie, was one of the better-known furniture establishments on the West Coast and was owned by Parsram Mahadeo, and his wife, Zabioon.
Stabroek News was told that the fire erupted at two points – in the store building and in the factory building – and investigators believe that this points to arson.
Sasha, too, told this newspaper that one of the family’s suspicions is arson given the rigorous checks made daily to ensure that electrical fittings were safe. She noted that the building housed flammable materials such as wood and chemicals used in the business and the checks were a top priority. An electrician is employed and as guards change shifts, they ensure that everything is turned off, she said.
The fire was first noticed at around 11 on Wednesday night by neighbours, who alerted the security guard. The Mahadeos’ lived in the top flat of the three-storey building, which also housed the store and a showroom. They managed to escape after being alerted by the guard. “When we came out, I could barely see,” Sasha said. She stated that when they came out the entire western wall was engulfed in flames. There was also fire in the factory-consisting of two buildings- right next to the store.
- The aftermath of the fire
After being alerted, the family of four-including Sasha’s grandfather – fled the building. She said that she drove to the Den Amstel police station and they notified the Leonora Fire Station. According to her, about 45 to 50 minutes later, the truck arrived with some water and spent 20 to 35 minutes looking for more “while driving back and forth aimlessly”. Firefighters attempted to source water from a nearby canal but it was low and not enough. Despite suggestions to use water from the nearby Atlantic Ocean, the firefighters did not, Sasha said.
Fire Chief Marlon Gentle when contacted strongly defended his men. He explained that the Central Fire Station in Georgetown was alerted at 11:30 pm on Wednesday through the 912 system by a neighbour of the Mahadeos. The Fire Service has begun investigations and taken statements. He said that Leonora was contacted and nine minutes later, responded. A truck was also dispatched from the city. The trucks went with water, the Fire Chief noted, but this was quickly exhausted and they sourced water from a canal but the level was low and ran out. Due to the El Nino conditions being experienced countrywide, water levels in canals have dropped and some have even dried up.
Gentle said that they then shifted to the ocean and this took about 15 minutes to set up as the tide had just begun to come in. The Fire Chief said that a boat had to be used to get a portable pump to deeper water and residents assisted with this. “A lot of improvisation had to be done to rest the pump in the boat”, he noted. Gentle commended his men and the residents for the help rendered noting that there were several considerations that were taken into account. He noted that the factory was filled with flammable materials including very combustible items such as paint thinners and varnish. The strategy used was containment, he stated, noting that there were minor explosions and the safety of the crews had to be taken into account.
Sasha had told this newspaper that it took hours to control the blaze. At 2 am, she said, the fire was raging and spreading rapidly to the other floors. By 5am, it had died down somewhat. “If there was anything that could have been done about it, very little was done,” she stated. Other relatives were critical in their assessment of the Fire Service.
They said that losses included furniture, supplies, machinery and the entire factory. The 60 employees are “hopefully not out of work”, they said noting that they were like family. Workers showed up and assisted in saving some furniture from the store. The factory was established around 15 years ago while the store has been in existence for 11 years. “We build ND&S literally from the bottom floor up”, said Sasha, as emotional relatives nodded in agreement. “I am devastated, this is the house I grew up in,” she added. The University of Guyana student said that she had lost all of her study materials, books, and assignments.
On December 31 last year, a fire, of unknown origin broke out in the store but was quelled without any major damage. “We just want the investigation to yield some answers,” Sasha said.