Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle, has confirmed that the fire that completely destroyed a three-storey building—which once housed the SACHI’s General Store on Regent Street, Georgetown yesterday, was an act of arson.
Gentle was able to make this confirmation after his ranks discovered portable welding tools at the side and back of the now destroyed building. The arsonists allegedly used the welding torch to cut the grill and steel work on the building after which they proceeded to set fire in the upper flat.
This information has since been passed onto the police, who will be reviewing surveillance cameras in the area. It was initially thought that the fire was electrical in origin since persons reported hearing a loud explosion from inside of the building.
Guyana Standard has been informed that there is no motive for the fire so far. The owner of the building rented it to Chinese Nationals, who had been selling clothing. Nothing was saved from the premises.
Gentle said that the Guyana Fire Service received a call about the fire sometime around 02:30 hrs. Five pumpers, two tankers, an aerial vehicle and 35 ranks were deployed to battle the blaze which took almost two hours to put out.
Luckily, no other buildings were destroyed.
