Firemen up to press time last evening were battling to contain a fire at G Bacchus Enterprises, formally MFK Trading on Hadfield Street.
The building housed a grocery and electronics store.
Based on the information received by this newspaper an explosion was heard some time after eight and smoke was noticed coming from the back of the bottom flat.
The Guyana Fire Service was called and responded immediately. Initially there were reports that the nearby Ashmins Trading building was under threat but the fire-fighters worked feverishly to ensure that the blaze did not spread.
Police immediately began cordoning off the scene and kept curious onlookers at bay.
At one point a hydraulic platform fire truck arrived at the scene to assist in getting fire-fighters to the upper floors of the four storey structure.
Thick black smoke spewed from all the openings in the building.
An official at the scene told this newspaper that there was difficulty in gaining access to the premises. Entry was eventually gained through shutters at the front of the store.
The official said that the fact that the building had been constructed out of solid concrete also made it difficult to fight the blaze. Stabroek News was told that nothing much could have been done to save the structure but the aim of the fire-fighters was to get the fire under control.
This newspaper was told that the interior was totally destroyed and from all appearances nothing was saved. On more than one occasion, fire could be seen issuing from the back of the building as fire-fighters concentrated their efforts at the front.
An emotional Goolmohamed Rahaman when contacted told this newspaper that it is painful to see that $400 million in stock has been reduced to ashes. He said that he began the process of building the outlet in 2010 and paid the last instalment on it in February.
He said that he opened a supermarket on the bottom flat and an electrical store on the second floor in late 2010. The other two floors were being used for storage.
Rahaman told this newspaper that he and his entire family had left their Georgetown home for Corentyne, Berbice to celebrate his granddaughter’s birthday.
He was still in Corentyne, he said, when he received news that his building was on fire and he immediately began travelling back to the city.
The businessman dispelled reports that a generator might have started the blaze. He said that he does have a generator system but it has to be started manually.
He was adamant that there is more to the fire, noting that he is waiting for the outcome of the investigation.
Rahaman who also operates a stall in Bourda Green has had his share of hardship over the years. His stall has been broken into several times and millions in groceries and cash stolen.
