Fire of unknown origin on Wednesday evening destroyed three buildings in Number 70 Village, Upper Corentyne East Berbice, leaving two persons homeless as a consequence.
The fire reportedly started at about 20:00h on Wednesday in the distribution warehouse belonging to the Ramish Supermarket, before spreading to the Silver Valley Liquor Restaurant, Parlour and Beer Garden next door, prior to demolishing a dwelling house.
This newspaper was told that smoke was first seen emanating from the Ramish
Residents look on helplessly as fire engulf the three buildings
bond, and residents attempted to fight the fire by forming themselves into a bucket brigade, but this proved futile, because Ramish Khemraj, the owner of Ramish Supermarket, was on a business trip to neighbouring Suriname, and villagers say breaking into the building seemed almost impossible because of its security features.
According to the 50-year-old Ramish Khemraj, before he left on Wednesday morning on a business trip, he had turned off all of the lights in his establishment, but a freezer was left working.
Khemraj Ramghan, operator of the liquor restaurant – situated at Lot 27 Number 70 Village — said there was the smell of something burning, and he went outside to investigate.
“When I go outside I see the smoke coming from the bond, and we sent and call the fire ambulance,” he explained. At the time there were several customers at the liquor restaurant.
Ramish Khemraj’s brother, Khelaree Roopnarine, said that when he arrived from Crabwood Creek further up the Corentyne, there was nothing that could have been done to save the buildings. “All two builds were on fire, they couldn’t do anything; and they did not have water. They had to go till up the road and get water from the drain and run the hose till back here. While they doing that, the small house at the back start to catch (afire), but nobody could go to it because these two buildings had big fire,” he explained.
Ramish Khemraj estimates his losses in excess of $100 million. He said there were four containers with biodegradable food boxes and drinking straws in the warehouse, and the building was also stocked with thousands of bales of pot scrubbers. He said the stocks, which were all damaged, are estimated at $60 million. The bond was 34 feet by 120 feet in dimension, and Khemraj said it was fully stocked at the time.
With tears rolling down his cheeks, Khemraj disclosed on Thursday morning that he also had $4 million cash in the building, and he had gone to see if it was still there, but was disappointed, since everything was burnt.
The Silver Valley Liquor Restaurant was totally destroyed. Damages are estimated at $40 million.
