A fire damaged the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) bond at Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park yesterday morning but firefighters were able to save the building and prevent the blaze from spreading to nearby buildings.
Firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading to the adjacent GNNL sports club, however, a part of the company’s boardroom was damaged as well as a section of the bond.
yesterday. (Photo by Arian Browne)
The fire started around 10.50am yesterday, minutes after eyewitnesses said they saw a vagrant cooking near the premises.
Michael Gordon, General Manager of the Guyana Chronicle, which is published by the GNNL, said his staffers noticed the smoke emanating from the building and quickly activated their internal emergency response mechanism before alerting the fire service. He said the fire service arrived promptly at the scene and was quick to put out the blaze. “I think the fire service did well in controlling the fire,” he noted.
yesterday.
According to Gordon, they were unable to ascertain the cause of the fire. However, they suspected that it might have been caused by a vagrant. He said the vagrant had to be removed from the premises several times by the newspaper’s security.
The bond, which is rented by the Pavnik Press, stored returned newspapers, ink and press materials. Pavnik Press Manager, Janet Rameshwar said she was inside of a building opposite the bond when she was alerted to the smoke billowing from the roof of the bond. She said when she rushed outside, four fire trucks from three different fire stations were already on the scene and firemen were busily trying to put out the fire.
Rameshwar was unable to estimate the company’s losses but said they were in the millions. She said the company was renting the building for the past 10 years.
The bond was estimated to be about 50 years old.
yesterday.
