An eyewitness to the fire which destroyed two businesses, and partially damaged the famous Penguin International Hotel on Monday, said numerous questions were asked before there was a response from the Guyana Fire Service.
Billy La Bennette, was having his dinner at the receptionist’s desk, of the Penguin Hotel when he heard a crackling sound coming from the building next door. It was just after dusk.
‘I ran out. I saw smoke coming from the centre of the upper flat of the building. I returned inside and shouted. ‘Fire! Fire!’. I returned outside and the smoke was getting bigger. It was extending eastward. I ran inside thrice. On my return outside I observed that the fire was emanating on the southern side, which is closer to Scotia Bank. Soon afterwards, the entire upper building was engulfed.’
Interjecting, Billy’s mother, Mavis, related that she made several calls to the Guyana Fire Service, ‘and the amount of questions they asked…. I told them Scotia Bank and Penguin Hotel is threatened … after a while they came, ….by the time they arrived the supermarket was already on fire…’, she lamented.
Meanwhile, onlookers drew to the firemen’s attention the cage filled with gas cylinders, which could have exploded, However, their focus was accessing water and extinguishing the blaze which had then spread to the Penguin Hotel ‘s roof .
Police Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus, advised the firemen to go through the front entrance and the flight of stairs of the hotel, in order to access the upper flat , where part of southern roof, rafters, gutters walls, windows , air conditioning units were all destroyed, along with internal furnishings.
Leaking hoses posed a problem, as clothing had to be used to stem the leakage. A bucket brigade was also initiated, so as to aid in extinguishing the blaze.
But, when it seemed as though fire would have consumed the building, Billy, whose eyes welled up with tears, said, “I prayed. I prayed earnestly, I prayed for rain. And, the rain did come. Jesus heard me”.
And indeed it rained heavily, until the wee hours of the morning.
Meanwhile, owner of Bob and Sons Supermarket Mazir Khan, told this newspaper, his losses are incalculable.
“I cannot total my losses. I have a stocked business. It’s millions of dollars. I have been renting this building over the last four years., but had started business over seventeen years, as I had worked along with my father. Twenty staff are now unemployed”.
The other businessman Hannif Bacchus, estimated his losses to be around eight million dollars. He sold compact discs and clothing and and was a caretaker for the building which is owned by Canada- based resident Zamin Nazudeen.
Mayor of New Amsterdam Wainwright McIntosh has applauded the joint services for containing the fire.
“Despite, the constraints, the Guyana Fire Service was able to contain the blaze from destroying other buildings, and the Guyana Police Force, for securing the area, so as to disallow looting”, he said yesterday.
In addition, he extended gratitude to the business community, and the citizenry who, were very supportive during the ordeal. The fire had started just before 7 pm on Monday.
The Mayor pledged, on behalf of the Town Council, support in having the debris and other materials cleared from the location as soon as the investigations are completed.
