Quick work by the Guyana Fire Service averted another disaster yesterday morning, when a small blaze began in the Kwality Mall at Regent and Camp streets.

According to reports, an oven inside the bakery, situated at the back of the building, burst into flames at around 8 am yesterday. Shop owners nearby said that they saw smoke coming from that area.

An employee in the mall, Mrs Gouveia, who works in the cafeteria, said the fire service arrived very quickly on the scene and took about 20 minutes to douse the flames after breaking down the bakery door. She also said that the police were called in and the side of the building along Camp Street was cordoned off.

Because the fire started before the mall's usual opening hour, not many staff were inside the building. The bakery was the only place to be evacuated.

After the fire had been put out, the bakery was closed because of the damage to machinery inside. No other part of the building was impaired and shops opened to the public yesterday morning as usual. Kwality Mall owner, Saeed Ali, was not available for comment.