Early morning fire destroys T&HD Stores, part of Ming’s business
AN EARLY morning fire, of yet unknown origin, completely destroyed the Transport & Harbours Department (T&HD) Stores and Marine Supplies building at Lot 6 Urquhart Street, Cummingsburg, Georgetown, yesterday. The place, which was once the residence of senior employees of the Department, also housed Ming’s Products and Services Limited, in which millions of dollars worth of T&HD spares and merchandise belonging to the private business went up in flames.
The blaze, which started shortly before 01:00hrs, consumed a bond and living quarters spawning from Urquhart to Water Streets.
Transport and Hydraulics Minister Robeson Benn told reporters that the fire has resulted in a great loss to his ministry.
“We’ve had a total loss of the buildings and, particularly, millions and millions of dollars worth of ships’ stores, including engine spares,” he lamented.
Benn said there was no indication of the origin being electrical or otherwise. “As far as I am aware, I don’t want to speculate, but it doesn’t appear to be electrical.”
He reported that, when he arrived there, the buildings, which were built of pitch pine and have been in existence for over 100 years, were well alight.
“Behind and, more importantly, the Stores Building had a lot of ships’ stores, tar, pitch, paint, rope and so on, but, most importantly, the critical spares for vessels,” the Minister regretted.
Benn said the engine spares are a great loss although the Fire Service had the fire under   control and stopped it from spreading.
Fire Chief Marlon Gentle said the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) received the call about 01:10 hrs and three units, backed up by two others, including tankers, responded.
He said there was no problem with water as that was sourced from the canals along Lamaha and Urquhart Streets and, although off duty firemen assisted to fight the flames, the entire edifices were devoured.
Gentle said, when he arrived at the scene, there were explosions, caused by the variety of combustible materials stored and they had to attack the conflagration with caution, noting there were live electrical wires scattered around.
He said the ranks began dousing the nearby Ming’s Products and Services, which was under threat and contained the blaze to one structure.

WATER SOAKED
Gentle said that the building was about 90 percent saved with equipment intact but Michelle Ming’s Optical was water soaked.
He commended the firefighters for their diligent work, noting that the weather was not in their favour, because of a high wind and rain, fuelled by the stored combustibles.
Gentle said the fire, reportedly, originated between the Marine House and the Marine Stores behind that, which, at the time, was being manned by security guards.
Selena John, who resides at Lot 46 Water Street, oblique to where the disaster occurred, told the Guyana Chronicle she was alerted by the cries of her baby and, upon opening a window, saw the T&HD premises ablaze, a fire tender and firemen hauling hoses to douse nearby buildings.
Another woman, who did not wish to be named, said she was at home when she received a call about fire at Ming’s Professional Optical, owned by Dr. Michelle Ming, at Lot 6 Urquhart Street.
The eyewitness employee said when she arrived there, the building next door was completely engulfed and, hearing what sounded like explosions, quickly broke into it and removed most of the equipment inside.
Later in the morning she was also helping to remove the remaining wet contents from the kitchen and storage area of the business, which will be closed until further notice while Dr. Ming is abroad.
Audrey Forde, Finance Director of Ming’s Products and Services, related that, upon arrival after being alerted by telephone, the T&HD next door was afire and the northern side of their business was being soaked by firemen.

The damage is being assessed but, so far, she estimated that one-third of it, which housed the Boat Building Department, had been destroyed as well as stores equipment and the back of Professional Optical.
She said Ming’s building was scorched but the GFS did good work in preventing the fire from spreading to it and also congratulated the Police for maintaining security and preventing looting.
Forde said they are in the process of taking an inventory.
Operations Director John Chin said they are relieved because their building was saved from what would have been a catastrophic destruction because a lot of their customers are dependant on the business, being the authorised agent for Yamaha and Mitsubishi vehicles and other merchandise.