Several stalls destroyed as fire erupts at Linden Market

A fire of unknown origin on Wednesday evening erupted at the Linden Municipal Market in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice), destroying several stalls.
The fire reportedly began at around 20:30h. The cause of the inferno remains unknown but authorities have already launched an investigation. There have been no reports of deaths or injuries.

According to reports, smoke and flames were observed billowing from the middle section of the market.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was contacted and due to their quick response, the fire was contained to one section.
In recent times, several markets were destroyed by fires. As recently as November last, sections of the Skeldon and Corriverton markets received significant damages due to electrical fires.
It was reported that electric fans were left plugged in at the Skeldon and Corriverton Markets. As a result, they overheated and consequently ignited with flammable materials.
Currently, funds have already been allocated to rebuild these markets and rehabilitation is already underway.
However, in February last year, the Parika Market was destroyed by fire. The GFS has since reported that the fire started from welding that was being done in the market. It was reported that the residue from a welding torch fell into a storage bond, igniting nearby combustible materials.
Another fire, this time at Charity Market destroyed 25 of the 85 stalls in July 2023. In this instance, sparks and smoke were observed coming from an electrical meter situated in the center of the market.
During their attempt to contain the blaze, three senior officers were also injured. Stallholders also counted millions of dollars in losses.
A new market is presently being constructed to the tune of $286 million. The contract to build this new facility was awarded to Builders Hardware and General Supplies Construction in November 2023, and the project was expected to be completed within two months.