The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) confirmed yesterday that the fire which destroyed the Parika Market Complex was caused by residue from a welding torch that fell into a storage bond and ignited nearby combustible materials.
Last Friday afternoon, the Parika Market Complex, East Bank Essequibo was ravaged by fire. Water tenders, a bowser, and two support vehicles from the Leonora, La Grange, Eccles, Campbellville, Central, and West Ruimveldt fire stations responded to the fire.
Vendors were saddened yesterday, since Sunday is usually a major market day. Stabroek News engaged some of them who were emotional and traumatised as the fire removed their only source of income. They were also counting their losses as millions went up in flames.
Vendor Tonza Bess explained that the fire escalated within a short period of time since the market had a large amount of dry goods. She further stated that the welding activity had been ongoing for approximately one and a few weeks. Most of the vendors were displeased with the response of the GFS located at Leonora.
“Wah I feel right is the president send other people to come and see what going on that day. I feel he should come he self and meet with the people them,” Bess said. “Well everybody lost everything so when he meet with we. He gon decide what you lost and give we back a start. It still fresh to us. I usually sell everything for the back dam like long boots, netting, soap, cosmetics and haberdashery.”
During a group discussion, the vendors pinpointed that the fire started at one stall. However, when the fire started it was on a pole and some stated that they thought it would have been resolved at that level, but it caught onto clothing. Vendors on the roadside said they ran into the market to assist the stallholders, but within a few minutes the unbearable heat forced them out of the market.
They too related that when the fire started they thought it would have been contained inside the Market Complex but it eventually came outside and explosions helped it spread so that it also destroyed the makeshift stalls outside of the complex. Many of the vendors are single parents and others solely depend on their vending for an income. The unexpected experience left vendors depressed and teary. A few were speechless, while others were angry.
Andy Shamma, who owned two major stalls at the market, cried as he explained that he is worried and frustrated because he is unsure about an income. “The fire start on the pole,” he explained, “and then it catch on a blanket and hammock. By time me aunty them holler ‘fire’ it start pitch like gasoline.
“I get one child and me wife pregnant with two babies. Right now, the only money wah me get is $1,000 because all the savings and so meh keep in the stall; all the money wah me put up for the nine-day and so, everything gone. Me does throw box money and me draw me money and put it in me cup fuh save and it gone.
“Me had one general store, anything you think about, me used to sell. We had a stall down here [front section of the market complex] and the bond at the top; same thing for the other stall at the back. So was two stalls, upstairs is storage and downstairs is the business.”
Shamma further explained that the manner in which the contactors were working was unbecoming. He stated that they were inconsiderate.
“The way how them man did ah walk pon them zinc me had to tell them because them ah mash down and so. Meh beg them, meh beg them fuh walk good, because remember the roof nah done yet so when the rain fall it go be like a strainer and it gon damage the goods,” he said.
“Me did just holler pon them before this happen. Then meh go complain and then meh aunty holler fire a come down. How me ah go get to send me children them ah school? Me son going private school and he does go lesson. Meh got to pay for lesson.”
The vendors said the market could have been saved if the first water tender that arrived didn’t have to wait on the trucks from La Grange and Eccles and others from Georgetown. “When the first truck come he spray lil water from the tank and it done, then he was there waiting all the time. By time then the fire all over. The next truck that come went to the river and get water so is the backup trucks out the fire, not the first truck. When the first truck come the fire didn’t so big and the back part of the market could ah save but he had to wait on backup by time then it spread all over,” one of them related.
The vendors suggested that a fire station should be situated at the Parika Market, where there is a police station, since Parika has to depend on the Leonora and La Grange fire stations some distance away.
Surajie Khan, 65, who has been a vendor all her life was counting her losses because at the time of the fire she had just stocked her stall with fruits, beverages and groceries. “I feel very sad. I use to depend on it. I get bills to pay and I get a granddaughter that I does look after because her father died and I does send her to school. I lost everything,” she lamented.
Desiree France, a haberdashery vendor for ten years, was very teary. France, a mother of two, said she had run in to help her friends, since her stall was on the road. She thought the fire would be contained and could not imagine that her things would be destroyed.
“By time me run out back, the fire walking coming to me and the breeze coming and it keep spreading. Everything gone. It so hurtful because is me alone does bring in the money. Meh husband doesn’t really work because he eye damage. He don’t see properly,” she cried.
Steve Pasramnebar, a 14-year-old student at the Professional Learning College, was among the vendors on Sunday, since his mother was traumatised. Pasramnebar explained that his mother is a single parent of three. He added that at the time of the fire he was at school. Since his father died, his mother’s main source of income was selling jewellery, he added.
