A FIRE of unknown origin has damaged a Lot 43 Broad and Russell Street, Charlestown, Georgetown property, leaving the owner and tenants counting their losses.

Owner of the building, Rudolph Gravesande, popularly known as Bunny, who resides at the bottom flat of the building, said he was on the pavement selling dog food around 18:00 hours on Wednesday, when he was alerted of a fire, which he saw emanating from a bedroom on the upper flat of the building.

Gravesande said he was able to get most of his possessions out of the building but could not account for a few items. His tenant lost “a lot,” as the fire ravaged the upper floor of the building, which the tenant occupied, he said.

Divisional Fire Officer, Haimchandra Persaud, who was at the site of the fire, told the media that the Guyana Fire Service received a call at approximately 18:29 hours about a fire at the said location.

Two fire tenders from Central Fire Station and one from the West Ruimveldt Fire Station were dispatched to contain the blaze. On arrival, the ranks used water from their tank supply to extinguish the fire, which was contained to the top floor of the building.

“During my investigation they said he was a disabled person [person living with a disability]; himself and his son were not in the building at the time of the fire… they did not sustain any injuries,” Persaud said.

The Divisional Fire Officer did not pronounce on the origin of the fire, as the investigations are currently ongoing. He complimented his ranks for a job well done to contain the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.