-following fire
Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) yesterday announced that it has successfully resumed operations at several of its facilities following last Friday’s fire in its power station at Plantation Diamond.
There has been no word on the value of the damage suffered or when full operations will resume. DDL has also not spoken about insurance coverage and what power source it is currently relying on.
However, DDL’s management has assured stakeholders of a swift recovery and continuity in operations.
According to the statement, the TOPCO plant which produces fruit juices and Savannah milk products, is back to full operational capacity. The Wines and Spirits plant is currently functioning in a partial production mode, while the non-alcoholic beverage plant is projected to be fully operational by the weekend. The distillery is set to resume operations as soon as possible.
Initial investigations revealed that the fire started in one of the seven generators housed in the power station. This particular generator had recently undergone scheduled maintenance. The fire rapidly spread, engulfing the entire power station and damaging all generators and the facility itself. The statement said that thanks to the rapid response of DDL’s firefighting team and the Guyana Fire Service, the blaze was contained to the power station, preventing it from affecting other vital infrastructure.
The GFS had said that the fire resulted in extensive damage, destroying seven Caterpillar generators, nine transformers, and additional equipment. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among DDL staff or firefighters during the incident.
DDL said its actions ensured that local fruit farmers experienced no interruptions in product purchases, thus minimizing economic impact. The company is actively collaborating with resellers nationwide to mitigate potential stock shortages resulting from the fire, it said.
DDL’s directors and management in their statement expressed their deep gratitude to the emergency services for their prompt response and professionalism. The Guyana Fire Service’s efforts were pivotal in limiting the fire’s impact, with teams arriving quickly and employing a combination of foam, dry chemicals, and water to extinguish the blaze.
DDL is expected to address what caused the fire in the generator and where liability for that might lie. Questions have also arisen as to why the entire power generation area went up in flames and whether there wasn’t a way to limit the fire from spreading to other generators.
Fire Chief Gregory Wickham, in a release on September 28th,2024 praised his team’s professionalism and commitment, stating that their actions prevented what could have been a catastrophic situation. The police and local power companies also provided vital support during the incident.
