LOCAL businessman Keith Moonasar is counting his losses after a fire of unknown origin razed his factory at Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, on Saturday.
Moonasar was in tears as he watched his factory go up in flames. “I was on the way to keep wake for my brother who passed away recently, when I got a call that the building was on fire,” he said.

The factory, Supra International was a manufacturer and exporter of a wide range of furniture items. “Our main lines are: office furniture, kitchen cabinetry, outdoor patio furniture and bedroom furniture,” he said.
He told reporters that by God’s grace his business was doing well and he had only recently received orders for furniture from the Ministry of the Presidency and numerous companies across the country.

“We got a whole set of furniture in there, some that were even supposed to be delivered tomorrow, but they all went up in flames,” he lamented.
The proprietor was shocked to know that his business that has been in existence since 1996 was completely destroyed in a matter of minutes.

Although he was not on the scene when the fire started, Moonasar said from his understanding, the managers of the business left around 3:00pm and had reported that everything was alright at the factory.
One of the managers, Kevin Gunsam, said that he had to return at 3:30pm after receiving a call from the factory’s security guard, who said that smoke was emanating from the building.

Gunsam explained that when he arrived and opened the door, the fire was already intense, so they could not enter the building.
“When I was on my way back I called 911 but they reach till after 4:00pm so most of the building was already in flames,” he said.

Employees and even the owner were baffled as to how the fire started. Moonasar explained that the operations of the factory are powered by a generator and the lights by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
He agreed that the combustible items such as fabric and wood were stored in the building, but said they were properly stored.

The businessman said this was not the first time there was a fire there. Moonasar told reporters that years ago there was a fire, which did not cause much damage to the facility.
Almost 50 workers are now unsure as to what the future holds, since their place of employment is no more.