The popular ‘Colors of India’ store located at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice was destroyed by fire on Friday and it is believed that the blaze was caused by sparks from an electrical wire.
The business place and home of the Lachman family went up in flames around 15:00 hrs Friday. The building also housed a vehicle workshop.
Based on information from one of the owners, there was a spark on an electrical wire in the building. Sometime after, a fire engulfed the building.
Suresh Lachman called Playerz, 52, related that he lived at the property with his two sons, his daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and wife. He told Police that he left home at around 08:00 hrs to transact business in Georgetown. His wife, children and daughter-in-law remained at home.
While in Georgetown, the man was informed that his house was on fire. When he arrived the entire building was engulfed in flames. Suresh reportedly said his wife saw an electrical wire spark on the eastern side of the building. It then burst into flames and she (the wife) and her daughter-in-law along with the children, ran out the yard.
Mahendra Lachman, one of Suresh’s sons, told the News Room that he had just left the house to test drive a car he was working on at the workshop and in a matter of minutes he got the call that the place was on fire.
The fire destroyed several motor vehicles and according to the Police the house, businesses and vehicles were not insured.
