An early morning fire, suspected to have been deliberately set, yesterday destroyed a part of a building which once housed a disco at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
Stabroek News understands that around 12.15am, residents of the area noticed fire emanating from the upper flat of the building.
An alarm was raised and the Guyana Fire Service was immediately summoned. Quick action by firefighters resulted in only a part of the upper section of the building being destroyed.
The building previously housed the “Getaway” disco.
Stabroek News was told that it was originally own-ed by Kwasi Robinson. However, following Kwasi’s death, his wife, Abike Robinson, took over ownership. She resides overseas.
Fire Chief Marlon Gentle yesterday told Stabroek News that a preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was deliberately set.
“Definitely someone or persons set it on fire… it was human-caused,” Gentle said.
However, he noted that the motive remained unclear.
Gentle explained that in the past there have been instances where fires were allegedly set in the compound of the building by vagrants.
Floyd Robinson, a nephew of Kwasi, explain-ed that he received a call around 1am yesterday informing him that the building was on fire.
However, he said he could not immediately leave home. Later in the morning, Floyd said he visited the scene. “When I came out, I see the place still on fire,” he said.
Floyd related that based on what he understands, someone had broken into the building and was seeking shelter there. “Like somebody break in the place to me and use to sleep inside and like they light a fire inside and they couldn’t control the fire inside. The person like he just run out afterwards,” he explained.
The building has no access to electricity.
“My uncle work hard and build this place…he didn’t borrow money or anything. He work and build this place,” Floyd noted.
