Seven caterpillar generators and nine transformers were destroyed in Friday’s fire at the DDL power plant at Plantation Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
This was disclosed yesterday by the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) in a release.
The GFS said there had been significant damage from the fire that originated in the generator enclosure.
“Listed among the destroyed items were: one forklift, nine transformers, 23 drums of castor oil, and seven Caterpillar generators. The fire also spread to a nearby chemical bond, resulting in severe damage to five metres of wooden ceiling on the eastern side of the building and seven metres of metal guttering”, the GFS said.
No information on the damage has been released by DDL. The last statement it issued on Friday said: “At approximately 16:40h today, a fire was observed near one of the generating sets in the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) Diamond Complex Power Station.
“The DDL Fire Response Team responded and worked to control the fire until the arrival of units of the Guyana Fire Service.
“The Guyana Fire Service was able to contain the fire to the power station. No other facilities or installations are under threat. The Guyana Fire Service continues to work to extinguish the fire in the Power Station”.
The company will now likely have to immediately source new generators for its operations.
The GFS yesterday said it managed to extinguish the fire that could have resulted in catastrophic damage and commended its team for its professionalism, courage, and commitment in responding to the challenge.
According to the release, at 16.43 hours on Friday, an urgent alert was received regarding a fire at the DDL Power Plant.
Responding immediately, six fire-fighting units, including two water tenders, two water carriers, a hose layer, and a fire boat, were dispatched from Fire Service Headquarters, West Ruimveldt, Eccles/Diamond, and Campbellville fire stations, with a combined load of 10,220 litres of water.
The first unit arrived on the scene at 16.50 hours.
Led by Chief Fire Officer, Gregory Wickham, the release said that the team of six officers and twenty-two firefighters worked expertly to bring the blaze under control. Their efforts ensured that the fire was quickly contained to a single building, preventing further spread.
The release said that the quick response and expert firefighting efforts of the team resulted in the successful protection and isolation of the chemical bond and fuel storage areas, minimising the risk of further damage and danger.
To successfully combat the blaze, firefighters employed a combination of foam, dry chemicals, and water. This also included the use of five jets utilising both tank supplies and an open water source, to suppress the fire and ensure it was fully extinguished.
The GFS said that Fire Prevention officials are actively investigating the cause of the fire to determine its origin and prevent future incidents.
The GFS expressed its gratitude and commendation to all personnel involved in managing and containing the fire, acknowledging that their efforts prevented what could have been a catastrophic event for such a large company.
“The professionalism and commitment demonstrated by the team have been invaluable, and we continue to encourage the same level of dedication in every fire emergency as we remain committed to serving the public with confidence and reliability,” the release added.
In a statement on Friday night, the police said that initial investigations revealed that the Generator Room (a 60 ft ×60ft concrete building located in the southeast of the DDL compound) housed seven generators, which power the entire compound.
Brian Deoraj, a 39-year-old engineer employed with the company, arrived at work and observed that one Cummings 3516 generator and one Caterpillar 3520 generator used to power the entire compound were not working to their optimal.
Sometime at about 4.20 pm, there was a power outage, which caused him and other staff members to proceed to check the Generator Room. On arrival, they observed that the Caterpillar generator was on fire.
An alarm was raised, and the Fire Service was informed. The Guyana Fire Service Fire Tender 92, under the command of sub-officer Lenander from Eccles Fire Station and 20 ranks, arrived on the scene and went into action.
Extensive damage was seen on all of the generators in the room and the top of the building. No one was injured.
Ravi Doobay, a farmer, who was inside the compound when the fire started, told Stabroek News that he had carried a supply of cherries to DDL for processing and while there, a fire suddenly started in the room that housed the generator. He added that the alarm then went off and there was smoke all over; the lights went off as well.
The farmer expressed concern as to whether the cherries would perish since up to late in the evening, power had not been restored to the building. He recalled that when the alarm went off, he along with other persons around were escorted to the back of the compound away from the fire and were permitted to leave until the fire was put out. He noted that the room was destroyed by the fire.
A plantain chip and beverage vendor, Alisha Lewis, related to the Stabroek News that around 16:30 hours she was sitting at her stand when she observed smoke coming from the direction of DDL. The smoke then got thicker and thicker and eventually, the Guyana Fire Service showed up. She stated that the smoke filled the entire area and made it difficult for her to see and breathe.
