A fire gutted two buildings, including one that housed five families, opposite the Bartica Police Station on Monday night and an investigation is currently underway into its origins.
In addition to the two-storey building that housed the families, another two-storey building housing a general store was also gutted in the fire.
Fire Chief Marlon Gentle told Stabroek News that the owner of the two buildings and the 11 other occupants are working alongside the police to investigate the cause.
The fire occurred around 10.15 pm at the Lot 14 First Avenue, Bartica properties.
According to a police statement, the two buildings, which are 10 feet apart and opposite the Bartica Police Station, are owned by businesswoman Penelope Canterbury, 57. One of the buildings housed the Morocco Hotel on the top flat and a bar on the bottom flat, while the other building was rented by Devon Beckles, 41, of Second Avenue Bartica, who is the proprietor of Bolo and Sons Enterprise, a clothing and general store.
The police were told that smoke from the fire was seen emanating from the lower back (east) of the bottom flat of the general store, approximately four hours and forty-six minutes after Beckles had closed up his business. According to the police, Beckles plugged out all electrical appliances before leaving.
The police statement said that the entire building was quickly engulfed by flames even though the fire service responded and went into action early on. Even though the fire spread quickly, fire ranks were able to contain the fire to just the two buildings, therefore preventing damage to other buildings in close proximity but Morocco and Bolo and Sons were completely burned by the fire.
Police investigating the fire have, so far, been told that the buildings were being serviced with active GPL power lines and while no lives were lost nor any person injured, the buildings were not insured. The total losses were unknown up to yesterday.
Veronica Charles, a friend of Canterbury, told Stabroek News that they [Canterbury and other residents] seemed to be traumatised by the fire when she spoke with them yesterday morning. “From what they told me the fire start from inside of the house, but I don’t know, they still seem shocked by the fire when I spoke to them this morning,” she said. Charles said that Canterbury’s daughter told her that it was Beckles who had returned to the store minutes after 22.00 hours when he noticed the fire and alerted the neighbours. She said that Canterbury and the others would be staying in a part of the property that was not touched by the fire, since it is mostly Canterbury’s house and Bolo and Sons that sustained most of the damage.
She also noted that persons in the area are being asked to come out and help the persons affected by the fire.
