–even after losing big in recent fire

DESPITE suffering over $25M in losses in Tuesday morning’s fire, the owners of the popular ‘Sita’s Sawmill’ in Crabwood Creek, East Berbice, are relieved that no lives were lost or that no one had suffered any injuries.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday, Sita Gumani, the proprietrix, said she is very thankful for the assistance she got from members of the public.

“We lost quite a lot in the fire, but if it had not been for the community, which came out and helped to move our equipment, we would have lost a whole lot more,” Sita said. “And I want to let them know we are very thankful and grateful for their help.”

She said it was around 10:15hrs when the manager of the sawmill came to get her at the lumber yard a short distance away, saying that the engine room was on fire. But by the time she got there, Sita said, the entire engine room was engulfed in flames. And being a windy day, the flames quickly spread to the adjoining storage room, which was filled with spares, lubricants and equipment that were combustible.

“The worker explained that the power went off, and when he went to the generator room to see if the fuse blow, he notice the place on fire,” she said, adding:
“He said he call out for the manager, and then try to out the fire, but the heat was too much.
“It then catch the fuel tank, and it spread quickly with the sawdust and wood, and they had to retreat.”

No sooner was an alarm raised, she said, than members of the public came to their rescue and helped move several tractors, combines and other heavy-duty equipment away from the inferno.
And thanks to the prompt response of the fire service, the fire was prevented from spreading and doing further damage.

Besides housing a sawmill, Sita said, the complex is also used as a storage bond and workshop for their lumber and rice businesses.

According to the businesswoman, this is their second brush with fire, the first being back in 1997.

Among the losses they’ve suffered this time around, she said, are all their tools, welding sets, two new lifts for the sawmill, new parts that were bought recently for the servicing of their fleet of heavy-duty equipment, as well as lubricants, finished
lumber and fuel.

She said that as far as she knows, neither of the company’s two generators was at fault, and the complex was just last week inspected by the Guyana Energy Authority (GEA), the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and everything was in order.

The Guyana Fire Service is presently looking into the matter.