A MAJOR conflagration was yesterday averted in the commercial centre of Georgetown, shortly after noon, when fire fighters responded to a call at Shoppers’ Paradise (opposite the Guyoil Gas Station) on Regent Street. A crew from the Central Fire Station, Water Street, raced down to the scene, where they found that a fire had been lit behind a security fence aback of Shoppers’ Paradise and thick smoke was emanating from it.
It was about 13:15 hrs and the crew promptly got to work, putting out the blaze in the area where the buildings are built in extremely close proximity to each other, and where the majority of the structures at the back are derelict.

The prompt response of the firefighters was commended by persons on the scene, and Manager of Mohan’s Electrical Store, Ramesh Singh, estimated that, had the fire spread, it would have wiped out a line of  about six stores between the newly constructed Multi Complex Mall to the west and what is left of GIMPEX complex to the east.

Meanwhile, manager of Shoppers’ Paradise, Mr. Noor Hassanbaksh said he was working in the office when he smelled something burning. He said he quickly opened the back door and looked out, only to see thick smoke coming from behind the fence. He immediately called the fire service, he said.