Fire scare at NBIC branch
Stabroek News
December 23, 2003
The closed National Bank of Industry and Commerce at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, yesterday (Aubrey Crawford photo)
There was almost a major fire in Vreed-en-Hoop, West Demerara yesterday at a branch of the National Bank of Industry and Commerce (NBIC).
Reports reaching Stabroek News state that a fire had broken out around 9 am. When this newspaper turned up, the bank was closed and guards at the gate stopped several persons from entering.
The only explanation the security guards offered was that the bank was "temporarily closed because of a slight problem". They asked persons to return at about noon when business was expected to resume.
Bank officials yesterday remained silent on the issue, refusing to admit or deny whether in fact there was a fire, but an employee of a business place in the vicinity said there was a minor fire at the bank, but nothing that threatened the nearby buildings. Residents said a fire truck from Leonora had been called to the site.
Efforts to contact Fire Chief Carlyle Washington proved futile. On Friday, fire swept through Muneshwers Limited, the second major blaze in the city in just over a month.
On November 13, fast- food chain Royal Castle and other businesses went up in flames after a truck crashed into a lamppost.
Following those blazes, Retired Fire Chief Carl Rogers told Stabroek News that at present, the fire tenders cannot hold the volume of water needed to tackle serious fires and the Guyana Water Inc cannot be depended upon to provide this either.