UPDATE: Lusignan fire leaves businessman counting heavy losses

What started as a normal working day turned tragic by 08:20h on Thursday when the auto body workshop operated by Shiv Latchman at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, was completely engulfed in flames.

The popular Shivo Auto body Workshop at Dentist Street was burnt to the ground before firefighters arrived, leaving millions of dollars in losses, including about nine vehicles which were parked in the yard.

How the blaze started has not yet been ascertained, but according to Latchman he was at Enmore transacting business when he received news that the one storey wooden structure was on fire.

Workshop staff managed to save three vehicles, but the rapidly spreading fire and accompanying intense heat prevented them from saving the others.

Latchman had been operating his business at the location for about two decades now. He said the building was not insured.

“Major losses,” he said when asked to estimate the damage.

An eyewitness told News Room that he saw smoke emanating from the building, and sounded an alarm, however, he said in minutes the building was completely destroyed.