FIRE Chief, Marlon Gentle reported, yesterday, that the conflagration which destroyed Vishal Chowmein Factory, at Lot 54 Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara, on Monday night, took place as a result of negligence and bad handling of the drying operation.He said the blaze

started about 20:00 hrs at the makeshift (exotic dryer) drying facility where coals were used and heavy winds played a part since the operation was left unsupervised.Gentle said the La Bonne Intention (LBI) GuySuCo tender (a Land Rover), from East Coast Demerara, too, first arrived on the scene and was backed up by two Guyana Fire Service (GFS) tenders from Alberttown and Campbellville, in Georgetown. But, by then, the wooden building was 90 percent consumed by the flames.The Fire Chief said they, however, managed to save the huge tank that contained propane gas and prevented the disaster from spreading to neighbouring buildings, including, the home of the owner of the Chowmein factory.The Monday night disaster totally destroyed the place, leaving six employees jobless and the owner, Girdharry Persaud, without a business in which he had invested his savings.

Welding
Meanwhile, on Monday morning another fire, caused by welding at John Fernandes Limited Container Depot, on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, was quickly extinguished by the GFS.Gentle said that took place about mid-morning when some welders were working near a container that had flammable substance.
About the destruction of inside Julius Variety Store, at Lot 135 Regent Road, Bourda, in the city, too, he said arson is suspected.
The business is owned by Julius Mentis and the fire, reportedly, started about 02:45 hrs on Monday.
Gentle disclosed that an incendiary device was thrown into the building and that started the fire which burnt the merchandise inside that consisted mostly of baby products, including clothing and utensils.
He recalled that, earlier this year, one of the glass windows on the building was shattered when a rock was hurled at it.