Albouystown fire guts 3 buildings; 30 persons displaced

A fire of unknown origin swept through several buildings along James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, Thursday afternoon, as preliminary reports indicate that approximately 30 per-sons were displaced.
The inferno, which started around 15:00h, quickly spread from one structure to another, de-stroying millions of dollars in property, including two apartments and a meat shop.

Divisional Fire Officer Otis Charles confirmed that the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) deployed six fire tenders to battle the blaze.
“We responded with six appliances – two from Central, one from Alberttown, one from West, one from Eccles, and another from Central Fire Station. When we arrived, one building was ful-ly engulfed in flames, and another was already starting to catch,” Charles explained.
He noted that firefighting teams immediately focused on containing the flames to prevent fur-ther spread.
“We were accessing water from multiple sources, and branches have been deployed around the block. From the front, we can clearly see three buildings completely engulfed, but we be-lieve more houses at the back have also suffered damages. A full assessment will be made once the fire is under control,” he added at the time.
The landlord of the affected properties, who operated a meat shop and owned two apartments, said the destruction has left him with nothing.

“The fire escalated throughout the other buildings. My white building could’ve been saved, but when the firemen came, there was no water. After that, the fire escalated and caught the other side,” the distraught man said.
He explained that his business was completely destroyed.
“This was a meat shop, and we used to pack all our goods in here. Everything burn up. I can’t even give an estimate right now – it’s just millions gone,” he said.
Several residents expressed frustration, claiming that the fire service took nearly 30 minutes to arrive after calls were made.
One of the victims, Kaylee Andrew, who lived in one of the apartments with her three children, recalled the terrifying moment.
“They come late – after 3 – and by then the whole block done gone. People from outside was calling for me, and I run out. I only get to save my son and myself. I live with my three kids in that house, and I wake up in the fire. I didn’t get to save anything,” she lamented.

The young mother added that she escaped through smoke and flames and didn’t know what may have started the blaze.
As a safety measure, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) disconnected power in the vicinity to allow emergency crews to operate without risk.
The Guyana Fire Service has since launched an investigation to determine the origin of the fire.
Meanwhile, the families left homeless are pleading for urgent assistance as they try to rebuild their lives.
The clearing of rubble from the affected section of the street is expected to commence shortly.
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, and Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, also visited the scene and engaged the affected persons as authorities carried out their assessments.