THE conflagration at Bella Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara that occurred on Saturday and claimed the life of 97-year-old Princess Tinnamon, called ‘Sister P’, besides leaving 71-year-old Vivian Thomas hospitalised, may have resulted from carelessness and lack of attention to a stove that flared up while cooking was being done in the upper flat of the building.

That flare-up reportedly ignited the building within minutes; but

Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle has said that investigations are incomplete, and he cannot make a pronouncement until such time as the investigations have been completed.

He disclosed, however, that officials from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) have re-visited the scene in an effort to conclude their probe.

That 10:00 hrs conflagration completely consumed the dwelling house occupied by two elderly women and their relatives, and ravished the next door property of Puran Brothers Waste Disposal Service, which housed an office, a mechanic shop, and a small-scale fuel depot.

The elderly women had occupied the upper flat of the house, while the lower flat was occupied by their relative Sharon Thomas and her son. Nothing was saved from that dwelling house, while only some documents had been taken from the office of Puran Bros as the employees managed to exit the edifice before it was razed.

Thomas explained that she had seen thick smoke billowing from the upper flat of the house, and within minutes it was totally engulfed to the extent that the fire spread to the building next door.

Owner of Puran Bros Waste Disposal Service, Lakenauth Puran, said his losses ran into millions, since his building had housed a small-scale fuel depot, an office and a mechanic workshop, and equipment and several parked vehicles had also been destroyed in the blaze.

Meanwhile, Office Manager Kalesh Puran told this publication that the company has about 15 employees; he was inside the office when the fire started, and was able to save only some documents although he had ensured that the workers vacated the premises.

He noted there was nothing that could have done besides moving some important documents and urging employees to vacate the building. He was, however, in distress at the passing of the ‘Sister P’, the elderly woman who perished in the blaze.
(Michel Outridge)