Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed an unoccupied property situated on the corners of Lombard and Drysdale Streets in Georgetown Friday morning.
Reports are that the fire which started around 10:55 hrs ripped through the building within minutes.
The building once housed the Robinson Store and a lumber yard.
The News Room understands that the building remained unoccupied since the owner, Lennox Robinson as murdered in 2020.
Guyana Fire Service Divisional Officer Haimchandra Persaud could not say immediately the cause of the fire.
“As soon as they complete extinguishing the fire, the investigating ranks will do their work,” Persaud said.
However, neighbours and persons in the area believe that the property was intentionally set ablaze by men who loiter there on a daily basis.
A neighbour, Ashton Adams told the News Room that he was relaxing in his yard when someone passed and shouted “fire”.
“I look up and I see the fire and I end up calling 911… I get through with them… the building burn in like less than ten minutes. Quick, quick,” Adams said.
According to Adams, the GFS responded “fast” but the building burnt “faster”. “In five minutes time the fire service did done come but the building did done half way burn,” he noted.
Meanwhile, a relative of the owners, Dennis Barker said he would check the building from time to time. He said he was last there hours before the fire.
“I don’t know what is the tragedy with this fire. I went into the building this morning,” Barker told the News Room.
Up to when he was there, Barker said some men were present at the building.
According to Barker, the property is a family one and they had plans to clear the building and fence the yard soon.
“I don’t know what is the situation after this…We was to take the building down and get to fence it…We had plans to take it down… its family property really so they had got to come together and before they do what they got to do,” he explained.
The building had no electricity connection.
This is indeed a sad state of affairs. In my childhood days I once lived in Lombard Street and the Robinson’s and I attended the same Primary Private School. Their father once owned a business place at the same location and I . had to walk there everyday to attend school. I grieve with them on their loss.