A Springlands, Corentyne businessman says he is now counting losses of over $50 million after a fire suspected to be electrical in origin, yesterday morning swept through his ten-year-old, two- storey building which housed his clothing boutique.
Raj Ramdass, 46, of Lot 3 Springlands, Corentyne, and the owner of Indulge Boutique told Stabroek News that he was asleep at home, when at around 4.30 am yesterday, residents informed him that his business which is located at Lot 1 Number 78 Village, Corentyne was engulfed in flames. Ramdass said that he immediately rushed to the scene.
“The house [upper flat of the building] was on fire, like half hour after the fire service came, when they come they had no water, then they take a while to get water from the main, by time then the whole place in fire,” Ramdass related.
According to residents of the area, during the heavy showers the village was experiencing low voltage. Ramdass noted that a few cane harvesters were on the road and said, “The fire spark from the pole and then run to the building.” The businessman said that he was told that a few minutes afterwards smoke began emanating from the building.
Ramdass, who owns and operates another branch of ‘Indulge Boutique’, in front of where he resides, explained that he had started his business in the market where he also operates a clothing stall. He estimated his losses to be over $50 million, whilst explaining that the 150 ft building had an estimated value of $32 million, and approximately $20 million worth of items had been destroyed in the fire, inclusive of brand name clothing.
A distraught Ramdass further said, “This will affect me, because that one that burn is the main one.”
Meanwhile, residents of the area told Stabroek News that this was the second fire in a month in the area where the fire service had arrived at the scene without water.
