Cinema, house destroyed in Berbice fire

A fire of unknown origin ripped through a three-storey building on Thursday afternoon and destroyed a nearby unoccupied house at Number 64 Village East Berbice, Corentyne.

News Room understands that the three-storey building housed a cinema, a hardware store and a cellular store.

Only the cellphone store was in operation in the building, while the other businesses were closed down for about a year now, however, the stores still housed its equipment and supplies.

Ranks of the Guyana Fire Service were unable to access water to quell the flames and so the fire spread to the wooden house next door, completing destroying it.

Two vehicles which were parked at the bottom of the house were also destroyed. The owners of the house reside overseas.

At approximately 13:45hrs, residents recalled hearing a loud explosion from the multiplex building.

“I thought was a transformer went off but after a couple minutes I hear people hollering fire! fire! So when I go out, I see black black smoke in the air,” one resident told News Room.

The fire service responded in a timely manner but was unable to control the inferno.

Residents expressed their anger at the Fire Service.

“They come then water done, they had to go a full up and return then the fire spread more big… and they had a next problem. It is unacceptable,” another resident said.

A third building was also under threat but residents subsequently got into action and formed a bucket brigade.

The owner of the three-storey building, Dave Subnauth could not estimate his losses when News Room made contact with him.