A 61-year-old motorcycle mechanic of Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara suffered major losses when his two-flat, three-bedroom house and workshop went up in flames around 9 pm on Saturday.
Joseph Gomes told Stabroek News that seven motorcycles belonging to his customers were destroyed as well as spare parts and “scrap bikes” that he had bought for parts. That alone, he said, amounted to $3M.
The badly shaken Gomes who was close to tears said three of the owners visited him but have said nothing regarding their damaged motorcycles.
He could not say how the fire started but said his home did not have electricity.
According to him, he used a battery for lights but he was not at home at the time and as such it was not connected.
He left home around 6 pm and was “partying” at a bar when a resident informed him that his house was on fire. He could not believe it but when he got there he saw the devastation.
The fire tender arrived at the scene and tried desperately to douse the building but it was already engulfed.
The firefighters, however, managed to save the buildings located on both sides but the occupants suffered minor losses with items in the house, including a television set being damaged.
