The Guyana Fire Service has launched an investigation into allegations that the late response of its employees was responsible for the extensive damage caused by the midnight fire which razed a major portion of New Amsterdam's commercial centre - Pitt street.
The fire which started just before midnight on Friday night destroyed ten buildings which housed some sixteen businesses, six wooden stalls along the pavement and two small houses. Several victims, business- persons and eyewitnesses were highly critical of the Guyana Fire Service, blaming the late arrival of its tenders and fire-fighters for the conflagration which followed. Divisional Officer of the Guyana Fire Service attached to the New Amsterdam Branch told Stabroek News yesterday that an investigation had been launched into the allegations.
Divisional Manger of the Guyana Water Inc, Roy Codette told this newspaper that he received a call at around 11:55 pm on Friday night informing him about the fire. "I immediately proceeded to the plant and instructed that water be supplied to the underground chambers along Strand in the vicinity of the fire and on the Main road in the vicinity of Pitt street." He said that when he arrived on the scene two chambers in close proximity to the fire on Strand and one in front of A.Ali and Sons on Main street were full and overflowing.
"We began pumping at around midnight but the fire service did not start using the chambers until about one hour later even though they had access to the chambers." He refuted allegations that enough water was not available.
However, a source from the fire service told this newspaper that the department received a call at around 12:01 am and by 12:03 am two tenders and three pumps had arrived on the scene of the fire. According to the source on arrival fire-fighters found that no water was available in the hydrants. "It took about 30 minutes before we began receiving water from the hydrants."
Another source pointed out that two fire engines from Guysuco were forced to access water from the Republic road canal which is about 200 metres away. "One of the fire service's tenders was pumping water from the canal, while the other attempted to source water from the chamber in front of Ali's General Store on Main street, but the latter was forced to revert to the canal because of the unavailability of water in the chamber.
The source said that one light pump was left in front of Ali's to access water from the chamber. "It was not until some 30 minutes after our arrival that we began receiving water from the chambers" he said.
This newspaper witnessed fire-fighters angrily complaining about the lack of adequate water supply from the tender that was pumping water from the Republic road canal. Porous hoses were partially responsible for the poor pressure which was evident at the end of the lines. A number of those affected were adamant that their buildings and businesses could have been saved if the tender had arrived earlier and if they had been able to access water in adequate quantities. Among them were Carlton Loo who operated the popular Petma Loo Bar and Night Club at the corner of Strand and Pitt street, Hazrat Ali who operated a large two-flat wholesale and retail General Store on the other side of the street, the Manager of King's Jewellery World Michael Patterson, and Ramchand Mangal who ran a popular restaurant -Future Line - in the heart of the street.
Hazrat Ali yesterday said that some of his stocks were insured since the building is owned by Roy Hanoman. He disclosed that he is willing to re-commence his business at another location since he had some stocks which were stored at another location and he is exploring possible options. "I would like to start immediately but I need a building." He pointed out that when the fire initially started on the southern side of the street he did not think that the building he occupied would have been affected so he returned home only to be told shortly after that his store was on fire. "It was nothing else but negligence on the part of the fire service that caused the store and others on the southern side to be burnt," he argued.
Yesterday the ruins of some of the buildings were still smouldering with handfuls of curious onlookers converging periodically outside the nearby New Amsterdam Town Hall with sad faces gazing at the razed landscape. Only a few days earlier the centre was buzzing with activity. Yesterday all that remained were charred remnants of buildings long associated with the town's long history. The century-old Town Hall was saved by a miracle escaping from the raging fire with just scars. Two solitary signs, one identifying Pitt street, which was erected by King's Jewellery World and another 'Strand,' erected by the Lions Club of New Amsterdam stood guard in front of the smoking debris with two uniformed policemen at the corner of Strand and Pitt street.
Almost 48 hours after the destruction which drastically changed the landscape of the commercial centre within two hours, Berbicians were still struggling to come to grips with what had occurred.
The Ganpatsingh's drugstore on Strand which was established back in the 1940's by Eustace and Milton Ganpatsingh, and one of the town's historical buildings lay in ruins. According to Elaine Ganpatsingh, the daughter of Eustace who operated the drugstore she had been operating the business since the early 1960's. She could not say at this time what she and her sister would do.
Concerns have been raised in several quarters over the future of the some 100-odd employees who were now on the breadline. Some of the victims are hoping that a meeting with President Bharrat Jagdeo today at 11.00 am would bear some fruit. Others are hoping that the government would provide them with some form of assistance as they attempt to regroup and put the shattered pieces of their lives together. One victim who owned the building that housed the supermarket where the fire reportedly started said he had was no insurance for the premises. Most were still counting their losses. The owner of Trans Computer School/Store and Photo Studio, Arjune Chand, said his losses were in the millions. "I recently brought in a digital processing photo-lab which cost me US$48,000. I lost a number of computers, printers, photocopiers and laboratory equipment." Chand had only recently purchased and moved to the two-flat building which was burnt.
The owner of King's Jewellery World, Loknauth Persaud, was expected in the town to assess the damage over the weekend. President Jagdeo is scheduled to visit the scene this morning and to meet with the victims.
Meanwhile Stabroek News has learnt that scores of looters raided Harrybol's General Store and Cher's Fashions and made off with millions of dollars in goods, clothing, footwear, hardware, kitchen utensils and haberdashery. At Cher's, which was not affected by the fire, about 40 looters assaulted the security guard before breaking down the door and removing more than half of the stocks. One employee told this newspaper that four ranks in plain clothes attempted to loot the store but were prevented by a licensed firearm holder, himself a businessman.
According to some business persons, the police were outnumbered and therefore unable to control the crowd and/or looters. Even as the rubble continued to burn yesterday morning some persons were seen removing items from the ruins, including kitchen utensils from Harrybol's General Store. Later in the day police ranks in uniform were seen stationed at the two entrances of the street which remained cordoned off with wooden barricades.
The destruction caused by the fire and the loss of more than 100 jobs will no doubt have far-reaching effects on Guyana's oldest town and its 30,000-odd inhabitants, long deprived of much-needed services and developmental opportunities.