A Guyana Fire Service (GFS) investigation has concluded that the fire that gutted a Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD) building last Monday night was electrical in origin, Fire Chief (ag) Gregory Wickham has confirmed.
Wickham could not divulge any other information. However, sources told Sunday Stabroek that the fire was caused by a faulty plug.
The fire started around 8.05pm and ripped through a two-storey building situated at Lot 171 Lusignan West, ECD. The building housed an apartment, the office of a marriage officer and a welding workshop. No one was present at the time.
A neighbouring building which housed the Long Chang Aluminum Hardware Store also sustained minor damage.
However, quick action by the GFS prevented the blaze from engulfing two nearby buildings which housed the BM Soat Auto Sales and Caricom Auto Sales.
Divisional Fire Officer Haimchandra Persaud had told reporters that initial reports had revealed that an eyewitness heard an explosion shortly after a power outage in the area. “There was a blackout and when power came on, they heard the explosion but before the explosion they saw some form of fire on the wire leading to the building,” he explained.
An eyewitness, Owen Munilall, related to this newspaper that he was attending to customers when he heard an explosion. “I hear an explosion and then I see smoke….I realize something wrong there. So when I go there, I see like the middle bedroom upstairs was in fire,” Munilall said.
He said he immediately raised an alarm and the GFS was summoned.
The building that was destroyed is owned by an elderly couple. Their son, Rizwan Mohamed had said he was at home when he learnt of the fire. “I does normally work here. We lock up and I leave…..By time I come here and we open the door, the place was already on fire,” Mohamed explained.
Mohamed said several vehicles were parked in the garage and he managed to save them with assistance from public-spirited citizens.
