Recent fire victims on the streets begging for help

Several persons who lost their house in the June 24 fire at Durban and George Streets, Georgetown, are pleading for assistance from the public to return to some semblance of normalcy.

On Wednesday, some of them braved the heat and were seen at the location with placards asking the public for assistance and had a box to collect donations.

Kevin Philips, a father of three who ran a vulcanizing shop and sold electrical bikes at the location, told the News Room that the nearby building housed several foreigners, who are also in distress.

Phillips said it has been difficult since he lost everything in the fire which he strongly suspects to be at the hands of arsonists.

Surveillance cameras on nearby buildings showed persons entering the yard in the wee hours of the morning and setting alight part of the building.

The businessman said he is seeking help to reopen the business and they received help thus from the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, and the owner of Aruwai Resort, Chunilall Baboolall, who has given him a new location for the business.

According to Phillips, the main need is getting the requisite equipment to restart the business since he was not able to save anything in the fire.

Meanwhile, Richie Muniram, Manager of the Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, the building to the Eastern side of the flattened premise, said they also faced serious exterior and interior damage.

However, Muniram assured that they were able to safeguard all the valuables from the Pawn Shop, and also praised the fire service for their stellar efforts in limiting further damage to their premises.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.