A Berbice businessman is now counting his losses after his wood-work shop located in Caracas was complete-ly destroyed by a fire of unknown origin. It was his second fire in 10 years.
William Leung, 75, explained that around 3 am yesterday he was informed that there was a fire at his woodwork shop located at Track ‘W’ Plantation Caracas, where they build panel doors and mouldings.
“I put on my clothes and went over and the entire building had fire inside”, he said.
Leung yesterday told Stabroek News that he estimated his losses to be close to $20M.
While he assumed that the fire could be of electrical origin, he said he is still baffled about what the exact cause could be since to his knowledge every electrical item was unplugged sometime around 4.30 pm on Saturday when they closed up shop. “We don’t leave anything plug in. I am trying to think what the hell really happen”.
Leung pointed out that he now has to refund customers who would have already paid for items and advances on orders.
In 2010, Leung said, his business was also destroyed in a fire which was discovered to be of electrical origin. “When I go then I saw the wire on fire when I opened the door”.
He continued, “I am a chess player, so I am sitting here with a friend thinking of my next move”.
A source at the fire service yesterday said that they are investigating whether the fire was of electrical origin or deliberate. The source said that they were searching for the security guard to question him.
Leung, who has been in business since 1996, once operated at Pitt Street, New Amsterdam. However, he said, they moved in 2005 to a location in Caracas where he owns a farm, since neighbours in the township complained of the noise bothering them.
In a November 14, 2010 news item, SN had reported on the first fire
Leung had also said then that he suffered about $20 million in losses. He had also said that the factory manufactured doors, windows and mouldings that were supplied on orders and were also “stockpiled.”
The three-bedroom upper wooden flat was unoccupied but contained electrical appliances and home furnishings.
Leung had said then that he received a call from his watchman that smoke was emanating from the lower flat of the building and he rushed to the scene.
He opened the door to the workshop and saw “a line of fire on an electrical wire.” Aided by the breeze from the opened door the fire in 2010 quickly started to spread, Leung had said.
