…businessman loses some $7M in stock
A mid-morning blaze at Zeeburg, West Coast Demerara, yesterday, has left seven persons homeless and a businessman facing some $7M in losses.
The building at 111 De Willem, was occupied by owner Lalita Narine, her two children, aged 16 and 21, and her sister, along with three children aged 8, 15 and 16. Narine said when the fire started soon after 09:00hrs, she and the other occupants of the home, except for the 21-year-old, were at the seawall for Ganga Puja, a religious ceremony.
A single mom, Narine said that she has been living in the home, which she grew up in, for over 41 years. She said she had no idea as to what might have caused the fire.
A tenant of Narine close to three years, businessman Shaun Nabiyah-Bi, the owner of SD Computers and Security Systems, did not live there, but operated his computer shop out of a portion of the lower flat of the two-storeyed structure.
Nabiyah-Bi is normally closed for business on Sundays, and was thus not on the premises when the fire started. Already having over $4M worth of merchandise, such as computers and phones, in stock, he had added more than $2M more only this week, anticipating increased sales for the holidays.
As to what might have caused the fire, Nabiyah-Bi was reluctant to comment, due to his not being on the premises when it started, but said that he had heard speculation from neighbours that the fire might have been caused by a lit diya that was left on the family altar before they went out.
The business was uninsured but the 30-year old, who is a Technology expert at the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, seemed confident that he could make a fresh start. As to Narine, she said she had called some relatives who reside overseas and was waiting to hear from them.