Fire damaged a Community Centre building at Hope Street, Tiger Bay, in Georgetown but a prompt response by the fire service saw the blaze contained.
The fire started at about 5 pm yesterday and according to a resident it began at the bottom flat of the two-storey wooden structure.
“One man run out from the building and same time you hear voop,” a resident said, as she recalled rushing out of her house to get a closer look at the scene.
That man, a customs broker, was later taken into police custody for questioning, the resident said.
The upper flat of the building is occupied on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays by the Wesleyan Church, which conducted services on those days, the resident said.
Persons from the community also used the venue to celebrate birthday parties or weddings, the resident added, while noting that two customs brokers had offices in the bottom flat, which was also once a gym.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle was present as fire tenders and three fire trucks were busy at work dousing the fire.
As a result of their actions, a senior citizen who lives next to the building had her small one-bedroom house saved from the fire.
The woman recalled smelling burnt items but she thought someone was burning copra.
However, upon looking out she was greeted by the sight of the enflamed building next to hers.
Gentle said that he was told that some of the persons who were occupying the building had some kind of dispute over documents but investigations were still being done.
Meanwhile, a janitor identified as “Alpha” (only name given) said the building does not have electricity nor did it contain a kitchen.
Alpha said the items destroyed in the fire were a generator, which supplied electricity to the building when needed and a fridge and freezer along with furniture. Some of the chairs and other furniture utilised by the Church on the upper flat of the building were saved.
A resident who lives next door to the building said since she did not have space to accommodate her furniture and two television sets, she had left them in the building for safe keeping but they were all reduced to ashes yesterday.
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and ‘A’ Division Commander Clifton Hicken were also present at the scene.
