Fire of unknown origin yesterday afternoon gutted a Beterverwagting (BV), East Coast Demerara building which housed several government offices.
According to reports, around 5 pm yesterday, smoke was seen emanating from the western section of the two-flat building, which, according to a pensioner in the area, was close to 100-years-old.
A security guard attached to RK’s Security Service, who was on duty at the building, told this newspaper that she was seated outside when she heard “cracking” sounds from the upper flat. She said that within a matter of minutes, she noticed flames at the top of the building and she immediately scurried for assistance. According to the woman, two staff members left the building about 10 minutes before the fire started.
A fire engine arrived on the scene some 20 minutes later but by then the building, which housed the regional pensioners’ office as well as a probation and welfare sub-office of the Labour and Human Services Ministry, was engulfed in flames.
According to a fire service official, more than 70% of the building was destroyed and he noted that because the building was old, the fire would have easily raged through it. A resident told Stabroek News that she was in her backyard when she observed smoke emanating from the western side of the upper portion of the building. She said she immediately called the fire service and a fire engine subsequently arrived on the scene.
She said she made another call to the fire department to have another unit dispatched to the scene, since the fire “was too much for one fire truck.”
When this newspaper arrived at the scene, two fire engines were in operation as officers tried desperately to contain the wind-assisted fire. The blaze was subsequently brought under control, limiting the flames to the upper section of the building. However, the bottom flat, which was being used by the Region Four administration to store materials, was severely damaged.
Scores of residents and passersby, including several government officials and employees who worked at the building, converged on the scene expressing shock at the scenario. A former government employee who worked at the building for most of his life told this newspaper that the building was “very old.” He noted that it was one of the oldest government buildings around. The elderly man said he was across the road at a nearby shop when he observed the building on fire.
The man expressed hope that the authorities have a system in place to ensure that the records of “many pensioners,” who would visit the office to uplift their monthly old age pensions, are in order.
The police maintained order at the scene while officials of the Guyana Fire Service conducted their investigations into the incident.
