House used for storage at Alexander Village gutted by fire

A fire of unknown origins gutted a two-storey building at Third Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown on Diwali night.

The fire reportedly started at about 20:30 hrs on Sunday, November 12, and damaged majority of the house’s interior which had clothes, boxes and other items that were stored by the owners who have a business.

Four fire tenders from the Central, West Ruimveldt, Alberttown and Eccles fire stations responded after receiving a call at about 20:46 hrs, Fire Chief Gregory Wickham told the News Room on Monday.

The fire was contained to the concrete structure by firefighters but according to neighbours, their homes were still affected.

Bobby Ray, the neighbour from the eastern side, told the News Room that he was awaken by the commotion.

He said persons tried to get water from his yard to form a bucket brigade to extinguish the fire.

“The gate was locked, the grill was closed [and] because it was night time you could see the flames.

“They throw buckets of water but couldn’t get to the fire because it was enclosed and right after that, within minutes, everything was engulfed and then the fire people came and when they came they didn’t have water. They had to use backup and pump water from the trench and that’s what saved us,” Ray said.

Meanwhile, another neighbour from the western side of the building, Raj Kumar recounted what happened.

“When I get up to check, I see the whole downstairs on fire. People called the fire (service) and we tried to salvage what we have in we house because the fire was so much it come til upstairs where I living.

“The fire service did a good job because they contained the fire from coming over,” Kumar said.

The side of his house has was scorched and the windows have to be replaced. He said no one knows how the fire started and that the owners only visit the house from time to time.