An afternoon fire at the three-story Duncan Street building which houses a tyre shop business, housing complex, and Digicel Tower, has destroyed the entire top flat of the building.
According to information, the fire started just after 2 PM in the upper flat of the building in a room filled with Spanish nationals.
When the fire service arrived, the ranks quickly sprang in action and later contained the fire to the upper flat of the building by attacking the fire from each end.
In explaining what may have happened, the owner of the said property, Forbes Garraway, said that he was home at the time of the fire. He smelled something was burning and went to check.
At the time, Mr. Garraway said that he said that he thought that it was his neighbours burring copper but it turned out not to be so.
Garraway said that he was later contacted by the neighbours telling him that fire was coming from the top flat of his building. He said he went up with a fire extinguisher but could not compete with the fire which was too big at the time.
“I went upstairs with two fire extinguishers because I got like ten of them. I got into the apartment, but the fire was in the room. I stomped down the door and it was like an oven. I couldn’t have done anything about it because the smoke started to choke me. I had to leave it and come out.”
According to Garraway, no one was in the apartment. A large number of foreign nationals normally occupied the place.
Garraway further noted that it is now time to count his losses, build back better and he is set to approach the insurance company soon.
Only the top flat of the building was destroyed, and the Digicel tower was saved.
Speaking to the media after the fire was under control, Divisional Commander Andrew Holder said that he remains unsure what may have caused the fire. Investigators have not yet determined what may have caused the fire but they had arrived promptly on the scene.
Mr. Holder said on arriving at the scene there were some difficulties with water in the vicinity with no function hydrant being close by and limited water resources in the surrounding drains.
“The closest water source, I think, is on Laluni Street. It is a considerable distance away from here. We try getting water from a canal; within minutes that was exhausted. Fire hydrants were non-functional; the fire service is currently in the mode of inspecting and operationalizing fire hydrants throughout the city but I must stay here today, the fire hydrants failed us,” Mr. Holder explained.
Holder said his men did a good job and were properly equipped with gears to fight the fire.
Mr. Holder pointed out that while the fire service continues to improve, it remains also on owners of the building to get themselves in order knowing how the buildings are situated in and around Georgetown.
“I continue to stress the need for proper fire protection in high-rise and semi high-rise buildings; in terms of fire extinguisher, smoke alarms”
The fire remains under investigation.
