A fire of unknown origin completely destroyed three stalls in an unregulated vendors arcade next to Cool Breeze mall in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
The fire as it raged through the stalls
The incident occurred on Saturday at about 09:00h.
Bartica’s Deputy Mayor, Kamal Persaud, told Guyana Times that despite the shortage of water and strong winds, fire fighters managed to control the fire from destroying surrounding structures, including the KW Shopping Mall.
However, the fire destroyed three water tanks and the drainage pipes of the shopping centre. Some windows were also shattered as a result of the heat.
No one was injured in the ordeal.
Ironically, the fire did not originate from the cook-shop, but rather from one of the clothing stores.
Persaud explained that when the owner of the cook-shop realised that there was a fire, she immediately moved her gas bottles so as to avoid major explosions.
On the bright side, the Deputy Mayor noted that this disaster could serve as an impetus for the Bartica Town Council to bring some order to the area which is currently in a deplorable state and is a haven for criminal activities, including use of narcotics.
She noted too that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had visited the arcade and expressed grave concerns about the impractical solid waste management practices there.
In fact, she observed that the vendors are engaged in unethical practices within that commercial district, including sleeping in the stalls.
“Sometimes when you walk pass there you can see people brushing their teeth. Some people sleep in the stalls, they live there,” she reported.
Additionally, she noted that the land on which the vending takes place is a private-owned property currently involved in a court dispute.
The Deputy Mayor is hoping that some action can be taken to regularise vending in that location.
