QUICK response by ranks of the Guyana Fire Service and Guyana Police Force resulted in a major fire being averted at the New Amsterdam branch of New Building Society.
The fire was observed by a neighbor while the wife of the manager, Laveena Persaud, smelled smoke and went to investigate. It was around 18:55h on Tuesday that she saw a blaze in the south western inner staircase.
The family of four, including the manager, Rana Persaud lived on the upper flat of the two storied edifice, while the banking institution is housed in the lower flat of the concrete building.

After seeing the fire, Laveeda Persaud grabbed her two children, exited the building, raised an alarm and then contacted her husband. During that period, a neighbour contacted the fire service and police, which responded promptly.
This newspaper was told that while the firefighters had rolled out their hose, it was not put to use, as a fire extinguisher was used instead. It was observed that the inner concreted staircase had Christmas decorations, household items and fixtures which were piled together; an overhead fluorescence bulb was broken. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the blaze.