A three-storey building housing the Golden World Chinese Supermarket in Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBD), was gutted by a fire on Tuesday night, leaving the proprietors facing millions of dollars in losses.
The blaze reportedly started at about 20:00 hours. News Pulse understands that the fire started at the upper flat of the building, where Chinese nationals reside.
The inferno burned for roughly three hours, drawing a response from the Guyana Fire Service, which dispatched four fire tenders to the location. However, efforts to bring the blaze under control were hampered as items inside the building reportedly exploded while firefighters battled the flames.
By the time the fire was eventually contained, the supermarket area and the upper floor were completely destroyed. Looting was also reported during the chaos at the scene.
Nearby, the building that houses Hassan Variety Store sustained only minor damage after the owners, assisted by firefighters, repeatedly doused the structure with water to prevent the flames from spreading.
