Five Chinese nationals are now homeless and have lost tens of millions, after the building they were renting to live in and house their supermarket, was burnt to the ground early yesterday morning.
According to information reaching Stabroek News, around 5 am, neighbours noticed thick, black smoke emanating from the top of the two-storey building at La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara, and also heard loud explosions before they saw flames bursting out of the building.
As a result, the owner of the building, Ramkissoon (only name given), was quickly contacted. When he arrived, he was greeted with his building engulfed in flames. The man related that while he was on his way to the location, he called the Guyana Fire Service.
Ramkissoon said that upon his arrival, three fire tenders were already present but the fire was already out of control. Because of the amount of flammable goods in the supermarket, the fire quickly blazed out of control, eventually consuming the entire building, leaving just a concrete shell.
While the Chinese nationals were in the building at the time of the fire, they were able to escape unharmed, however, three adults and two children are now homeless. Stabroek News was also told that almost everything was destroyed in the fire, including the store’s stocks and the family’s personal items, which they suspect to be valued at tens of millions.
On the site yesterday, residents and other neighbours were assisting the Chinese nationals with cleaning up the area and recovering anything they could use from the supermarket. The family was still devastated and did not want to speak to the media.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle explained that they received a call at 4:51 am and as a result, they mobilised tenders from the Campbellville, Alberttown and Central fire stations. Around 5:21am, the tenders arrived but firefighters were greeted by a building that was “totally engulfed” in flames.
He explained that while they are unable to ascertain the cause of the fire, from the information they have received and results from their preliminary investigation, they are looking in the direction of the fire being electrical in origin.
However, Gentle explained that what is more perplexing about the incident is that they were told that two of the occupants of the house were locked in by another male occupant who was not home at the time. However, sometime after the fire started, the occupant showed up, opened the locked doors and subsequently disappeared.
He said that they have reasons to suspect that electricity would have played a significant role in the start of the fire but they have to iron out the details. When questioned on whether they are investigating the origin of the fire as due to foul play, Gentle said he did not want to make any solid pronouncements until the details are clearer.
The government’s electrical engineer is also working to assist the fire investigation team.
