Residue from welding torch caused Parika market fire – investigators confirm

The fire that destroyed the Parika Market on the East Bank of Essequibo was caused by residue from a welding torch that fell into a storage bond and ignited nearby combustible materials.

According to the Guyana Fire Service, at 15:14 hrs on Friday, the Fire Department was alerted to a fire at the market complex.

Water tenders, a bowser, and two support vehicles from the Leonora, La Grange, Eccles, Campbellville, Central, and West Ruimveldt fire stations were immediately dispatched to the location.

While the fire was extinguished, the fire service said due to high winds and the clustering of the area, the entire building and its contents were destroyed by the time of its extinction.

Scores of vendors who suffered millions of dollars in losses were long convinced of the cause of the fire.

They have since requested a meeting with the relevant authorities to discuss early compensation for their losses.

Not only were the stalls inside the market damaged but those who plied their trade on the outskirts of the market were also not spared.