A fire yesterday gutted Da Silva’s House of Optics, one of the oldest wooden buildings in Georgetown.

The fire began around 13:00 hours at the Middle Street, Georgetown location which is used as both a business and a residence.
The Guyana Chronicle was told by a relative of the Da Silvas, Brandon Milner that two women and a one-year old child were in the upper flat of the building. They were awakened by smoke in the building coming from an air conditioning unit.
Several items were saved including computers, electrical components, eye wears and two vehicles.
Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle said they received the first call about smoke and flames emanating from the building around 13:15 hours Fire fighters at the Alberttown Fire Station were the first to respond with Campbelville following. At least four fire tenders were on the scene.
Gentle said that while he could not say what caused the fire, it appeared to have originated from the top flat of the building located two doors west of the main Da Silva’s Optical Service.
The Fire Chief commended his fire fighters saying that they did an excellent job in putting out the fire and containing the blaze from spreading to other buildings such as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Former City Engineer, Lloyd Alleyne, who was on the scene, said the colonial styled structure was one of the oldest pitch pine buildings in Georgetown.
He said he is a very good friend of Dr. Da Silva  and he received a call about the fire and rushed down to the scene. Upon arriving he  said the building was already engulfed in flames.
He applauded the fire service and the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL), noting that the fire tenders arrived six minutes after the call was placed while GPL arrived 15 minutes later and took the power off.
Members of the media tried to get Dr. Jose Da Silva to gave a comment but he refused, stating that it was” a bad time and there is nothing much that he can say at present.”
Meanwhile, at least two persons were taken into custody for allegedly looting an undisclosed sum of cash and other items from the building under the guise of trying to save items.