–   Fire Service’s rapid response prevents greater damage

QUICK response by the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) prevented the Chronicle Sports Club building from destruction by fire yesterday.The building on Lama Avenue, which houses the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) Sports Club, and bond, leased in part to Pavnik Press, was engulfed in flames suspected to have started after a vagrant left a fire burning behind

the building, at around 11:00 hrs yesterday.

The fire spread to the adjacent building, the Sports Club of GNNL, printers of the Guyana Chronicle newspaper, and, although not yet confirmed, the damage is estimated in the millions.
The receptionist and security guards reported seeing smoke and raised an alarm. The Guyana Fire Service was also alerted and responded in a matter of seven minutes with the arrival of four fire tenders.
One of the on-duty reporters, Mr. Derwayne Wills, rushed over with the assistance of his colleague reporters, with a fire extinguisher in an attempt to temper the blaze, but the effort proved futile as the flames had already engulfed a large section of the bond and began spreading to the Sports Club complex.
Firefighters on the scene managed to contain the flames to the bond. While the eastern wall of the Sports Club complex and one of the rooms, used as the GNNL Boardroom were damaged, the building was largely untouched by the fire.

General Manager of the company, Mr. Michael Gordon, noted that GNNL’s “internal emergency response mechanism” was activated promptly after the alarm was raised and he lauded the Fire Service for their “prompt” response.
“We managed to save the Sports Club building, which is adjacent to the bond. Although there is some fire damage, the Sports complex was saved,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Fire Service’s Divisional Officer, Compton Sparman, alluded to the “combustible” materials, mostly printing materials, ink and other printing machinery that were stored in the Chronicle bond, which he said caused much smoke and proved a challenge, in terms of control.
He acknowledged reports of the fire being caused by a vagrant, known as ‘Bruce’, who is frequently seen in the area, but declined to comment definitively on the cause of the fire.
Sparman and another Fire Service officer were seen questioning ‘Bruce’, who returned approximately an hour after the blaze started. The man vehemently denied leaving a fire behind the building alight. Soon after being questioned he was seen leaving the area.
Additionally, some three hours after the fire started the Guyana Fire Service was called back to the scene after GNNL staffers still on site reported that the blaze had been reignited, which they noted was a result of the combustible materials held in the bond.
“The investigations have started and there should be a feedback by tomorrow (today),” the Fire Service’s Divisional Officer said.
The Fire Service up to 15:00hrs yesterday were still on site to ensure the fire did not spread. A number of GNNL staffers, including several Senior Managers turned up at the scene yesterday after learning about the fire.
Immediately after hearing about the fire, President Donald Ramotar, who also holds the Minister of Information portfolio, made contact with Chronicle’s Editor-in-Chief (ag.) Mr Mark Ramotar, who briefed him on what was happening and the committed efforts that were being made to put out the fire and minimise the damage. So concerned was the President that, shortly before his departure for the United States yesterday afternoon, he again called the Editor for an update on the situation.
Several Government Officials, including Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony; former Chairman of GNNL, Mr. Keith Burrowes; as well as CEO of the National Communications Network, Molly Hassan; Head of GINA, Neaz Subhan, and many other concerned persons made contact with the newspaper after learning about the fire.

(By Vanessa Narine)