A major fire swept through Regent Household Electronics on Regent Street in Georgetown on Wednesday, forcing employees to evacuate and destroying the business 17 years after an earlier blaze at the same location.
Firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to other buildings along the busy Regent Street commercial corridor, although neighbouring businesses suffered damage from heat and water. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and a financial is said to be in the millions of dollars.
Owner Shaheed Hamid told reporters that all employees escaped the three-storey building. He said the business had previously been destroyed by fire in 2009 and that nothing was salvaged from the latest blaze.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dwayne Scotland said the Guyana Fire Service received the emergency call at 1:03 p.m. By the time crews arrived, flames had engulfed the building’s top floor.
Four water tenders and four water bowsers were deployed from the Central, Campbellville and West Ruimveldt fire stations. Firefighters drew additional water from Guyana Water Incorporated hydrants and the South Road canal as they worked to contain the blaze.
Scotland said the western section of the building eventually collapsed. Although crews brought the main fire under control, flames remained visible at the rear of the property after 5 p.m. Residents were concerned that the fire could reach wooden buildings in nearby Charlotte Street backyards.
At about 5:15 p.m., firefighters were still extending hoses through a neighbouring yard to reach the remaining flames.
DM’s Beauty World, immediately west of the electronics store, sustained scorching, while water damaged some of its stock. The incident also prompted other nearby businesses to take precautions as owners and employees watched the firefighting operation.
Eon Jacks, manager of Brans Electronic, told reporters that he and his staff began wetting their building because of its proximity to the fire. He described the experience as frightening and praised the firefighters’ response.
Police cordoned off the area to give emergency crews room to operate. Traffic officers also urged motorists to follow directions as restrictions affected several streets around the scene.
Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore commended the fire service for preventing the blaze from spreading through the surrounding commercial area. He said neighbouring business owners had been worried that their properties would also catch fire.
Mentore indicated that the City Council would assist where possible and acknowledged that the disruption would extend beyond the destroyed store.
In 2009, a fire destroyed the business, then known as Household Plus and Electronics, along with a clothing boutique owned by his wife and DM’s Beauty World. Losses from that incident were reported at more than $100 million.
