The cause of the major fire that destroyed Regent Household Electronics on Regent Street earlier this month remains unknown, with the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) expected to provide further information after its Fire Prevention Department completes its investigation.
Attempts to reach Fire Chief Gregory Wickham and the store owners for an update yesterday on the investigation were unsuccessful.
GFS Public Relations Officer Odellis Williams told Kiskadee Watch that once the Fire Prevention Department completes its work, she will make the findings available.
The four-storey Regent Street business, located between Light and Albert streets in Georgetown, was gutted by fire after the blaze was reported at about 1:03 p.m. Preliminary indications from the GFS were that the fire started on the top floor before spreading downward.
Despite the destruction, though, the business has already announced plans to operate temporarily from another location.
Four days ago, the store announced the new location on its Facebook page, telling customers that it was “working towards opening temporarily at a new location.” The announcement thanked customers for their continued support and said the business would keep them updated as arrangements were made to reopen.
Williams had explained that the firefighting operation was prolonged by the large quantity of combustible materials inside the building, including electronics, fabric and plastic. She said firefighters nevertheless managed to prevent the blaze from spreading to nearby businesses and living quarters at the rear of the property.
One of the owners, who was at the scene with her husband, said she believed the fire may have been connected to recent problems being experienced with the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) system, including low voltage and frequent blackouts.
The owner also contended that the GFS did not have water “as usual” during the firefighting operation. Her husband, who was also at the scene, said he was not in a state of mind to provide information.
An employee who spoke to Kiskadee Watch in tears said she had worked at the store for years but did not have details about what caused the fire. She said the blaze started around 1 p.m. and that she believed the building caught fire on the top floor before the destruction moved downward.
A fire attendant at the scene said firefighters had been battling the blaze since shortly after lunch and continued their efforts into the night. Ten firefighters were involved in the operation, while members of the Guyana Police Force assisted with crowd control as large numbers of people gathered to watch the firefighting effort.
The GFS also deployed a hoist with a platform to assist in fighting the blaze. A fire appliance equipped with a large aerial platform was also brought to the scene, although it was not immediately clear whether it was used during the early stages of the operation.
The fire caused significant disruption along Regent Street, with sections between Light and Albert streets blocked to facilitate firefighting operations. Several other roads in the vicinity were also closed.
Thick smoke and flames engulfed the building, with several nearby structures appearing to be under threat. Businesses there were forced to close or suspend operations.
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