Owners of multi-million-dollar business property are counting their losses after a fire of unknown origin ripped through two buildings filled with goods.
The business which goes by the name of BR&T Enterprise in Northwest, Back Street, Grove sells hardware equipment. It is also home to two families.
Reports are that just about noon yesterday, Thursday, the building went up in flames. At the time, the business was open as usual when neighbours saw smoke coming from the building at the back.
With thick black smoke emanating from the building, the Guyana Fire Service was quickly called in.
On arrival, the fire tenders, with the use of onboard water and from a nearby canal close to the river contained the fire to just two business buildings and the residence.
When the fire was under control, close to everything was lost and just one side of a building was left standing. ,
One neighbor, Tamika Braithwaite recalled that she was inside her house. When she came out and saw some black smoke she ran back inside to see if she could save some stuff. But because of the smoke, she ran out back only with her documents because she heard several explosions.
“I was inside and I come to the front door and saw some black smoke and I go back inside. After I saw the smoke was getting thicker, I ran back to see if I could save anything but I heard some explosives start to go on and the whole house was filled with black smoke. So I just ran outside with my documents,” Ms. Braithwaite said
Ms. Braithwaite added that the fire service came quickly and dealt with the fire. She said that as soon as she was heading out of her house she saw the fire tenders.
With the fire being contained to the one-yard, Ms. Braithwaite praised the fire service for its work since she noted it could have been worse with the fire taking the entire block.
“I think they did and good job because it would have been everything because when I saw how thick the smoke was and the fire, I said that was it; everything has gone up in flames.”
As the fire’s origin remains unknown, the Guyana Fire Service will do its investigation to determine what may have triggered it.
