Vigilance urged following five fires on Saturday
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) responded to five fires on Saturday, indicating an increase in such incidents across the county over the past week, and has thereby urged the need for increased vigilance.
According to the GFS, on Saturday at approximately 02:00 hrs, water tenders #85, and #105, and ambulance #15 along with their crews from the Central, Campbellville, and Alberttown fire stations responded to a call about a building on fire at C Field Sophia Reserve, Greater Georgetown.
The GFS said that the structure involved was a one-flat wooden building under construction, owned and occupied by 21-year-old Isaiah Thomas. As a result of the fire, the building and its contents were destroyed, leaving Thomas homeless.
The fire service has purported this fire was maliciously set by a person or persons unknown. It was related that one jet working from water tender #105 tank’s supply was used to extinguish it.
Meanwhile, at 09:20 hrs on Saturday, water tender #116 and crew from the Leonora Fire Station responded to a car on fire at Concrete Street, Leonora, West Coast Demerara.
The GFS said that the vehicle involved was a black Nissan bearing registration number PJJ5730, owned by 56-year-old Lloyd Persaud and driven by 24-year-old
Brandon Persaud.
The fire started after a ruptured fuel line came into contact with hot engine components, ignited, and spread to the entire bonnet, it added. As a result of the fire, the entire engine and bonnet of the car were destroyed.
One hose reel operating from water tender #116 tank’s supply was used to extinguish the fire, the GFS said..
Further, at 12:50 hrs on Saturday, water tender #85, water carrier #14, and land rover #7 along with their crews from the Eccles Fire Station responded to a house on fire at Lot 66 Remus Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara.
The structure involved was a twostorey wooden and concrete building owned by 45-year-old Howard Samuels and occupied by 36-year-old Tenefa Samuels and her two family members, the release said. The building and its contents were destroyed, leaving all of the occupants homeless.
The GFS purported that the cause of the fire was an overload of the electrical circuit, which resulted in arcing and sparking and the subsequent ignition of nearby combustible materials. It added that two houses and a zinc fence in proximity to Samuels’ property were also affected by radiated heat.
Two jets from light pump #85 and water tender #85, both working from an open water source, were used to extinguish the fire, the GFS said.
Finally, on Saturday afternoon at 2:20 p.m., the same team from the Eccles Fire Station responded to a fire at Lot 16 New Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Upon arrival, firefighters observed a two-storey wooden and concrete building with an adjoining flat engulfed in flames. The building was owned by 80-year-old Florence Ramsaroop and occupied by 28year-old Seth Persaud. As a result of the fire, the GFS said, the building and its contents were destroyed, leaving one person homeless.
Fire prevention officers are currently investigating what caused the fire.
Two jets working from Land Rover #7 operating from an open water source and subsequently a water relay using two jets from LP #129 were used to extinguish the blaze. Meantime, at 23:55 hours on Saturday, water tenders #85, #105 and their respective crews from the Alberttown and Central fire stations responded to a fire at Lot 262 South Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara.
The GFS said that the structure involved was a two-storey wooden and concrete building owned by 42-year-old Vanessa Lewis, who occupied it along with five others.
As a result of the fire, the building and its contents were destroyed, leaving six people homeless.
The fire service purported that the cause of this fire was an electrical circuit overload, which resulted in arcing and sparking that ignited nearby combustible materials.
Two jets working from water tender #105 tank’s supply and one jet from water tender #85 tank’s supply in conjunction with Light Pump #129 operating from an
open water source were used to extinguish the fire, the fire service said..
Meanwhile, it is imploring all citizens to be vigilant and to practice fire safety
and prevention to avoid any possible fire emergencies. Citizens are urged to equip homes and businesses with smoke detectors, fire alarms and fire extinguishers.