A fire suspected to be an act of arson has completely destroyed Lumber Master Guyana Inc – a sawmill at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway. The fire reportedly started at about 01:30h on Tuesday.
A section of the ravaged sawmill
Reports are the blaze was first noticed in the factory and quickly ravaged the living quarters of the General Manager, Khemraj Mangroo, along with several vehicles and equipment.
Speaking with this publication on Tuesday, the still shaken manager explained that he was awakened by the loud sound of exploding bottles. He said that as he peeped through his bedroom window, he saw huge flames emanating from the factory.
Mangroo explained that in order to run to safety, he removed a few louvre panes from one of the windows and ran into the bushes. He said that he immediately informed his employer of the fire, and he, in turn, contacted the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). Mangroo stated that within minutes, the entire sawmill and living quarters were engulfed in flames.
By the time the fire tenders arrived at the scene, there was nothing left to be saved, this newspaper was told.
“Apparently the fire tenders were sent to the Police Outpost at Yarrowkabra to look for a small fire and not to the correct location of the sawmill…It was from all indication a miscommunication but if they had come to this location initially at least they could have saved something,” Mangroo said.
General Manager, Khemraj Mangroo pointing in the direction where the fire was initially spotted
The General Manager posited that apart from the vehicles being destroyed, a tractor was also set on fire. The tractor, he noted was parked some 80 feet away from the factory.
“The fire officials are convinced that it is an arson… after looking at the evidence, there is no trail of a fire from the factory to the tractor… it clearly shows that someone had set the factory on fire then went over to the tractor and put that on fire as well,” he added.
A truck, tractor, pick-up truck, loader, edger and two LT-70 sawmills were some of the equipment that was destroyed as a result of the fire. Mangroo estimated the losses to be in the millions. Additionally, he noted that several million dollars in dressed lumber were also destroyed by the fire.
The business, he explained, was established in 2015 and has since been exporting dressed materials. The establishment has about seven persons on its payroll. Mangroo, however, confirmed that the business was insured.
Meanwhile, the fire officials and Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the inferno.
