An electric fan which was left switched on in one of the stalls at the Corriverton Market overheated and caused the fire which gutted sections of the facility on Monday night.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the fire originated from an electric fan left plugged into the wall of one of the stalls and switched on, leading to overheating and subsequent ignition of nearby flammable materials,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a press release.
The fire started at approximately 06:45 hrs on the southern side of the municipal market.
According to the ministry, upon receiving the call, two fire tenders and a team of firefighters were dispatched to the scene.
“Their prompt action ensured the fire was contained and extinguished,” the ministry said.
While the fire was extinguished, it left significant damage including the destruction of two stalls and damage to several others.
As the investigation continues, the ministry noted that the authorities are working “diligently to determine the full extent of the incident and take necessary measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.”
When the fire unfolded, vendors from different sections of the market were seen scrambling to gather their goods.
Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Local Government and Regional development, Anand Persaud and Mayor of Corriverton, Imran Amin were among the officials who were present at the scene.
They assessed the situation and interacted with those affected.
