A Guyana Fire Service (GFS) investigation has concluded that the blaze which gutted a Guyana National Shipping Cor-poration Limited (GNSC) building on Sunday morning was an act of arson.
“An investigation has confirmed that the fire was maliciously set by person/s unknown,” Fire Chief Gregory Wickham told Stabroek News last night.
Asked for other details such as what might have led investigators to the determination, Wickham said he could not divulge any other information at this point in time.
Stabroek News had reported that the fire started at around 8.10am and destroyed the GNSC workshop which is situated at Lot 5-6 Lombard Street, Georgetown.
The GFS in a press release had said that water tenders from the Central, Alberttown and West Ruimveldt Fire Stations along with Fire Boat ‘Protector 8’ were immediately dispatched to the scene of the fire.
Three jets working from Water Tender 107 using a relay from the Fire Boat, one jet from WT106 and one jet from WT76 using a relay from WT112, all working from an open water source were used to extinguish the blaze.
At the scene, firefighters made efforts to save the workshop and gear room but it was completely consumed by the flames. However, their efforts did not go in vain as they managed to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas.
Just week weeks ago, two Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) bonds located next door to GNSC, were destroyed in a fire.
Controversy surrounds the origin of that fire. While the GFS has said that the fire was an act of arson, the GNIC had said that at no point during a joint review of surveillance footage was there any “conclusive evidence” to support the claim.
