Giftland Office Max was spared a major disaster last night after employees working extra hours managed to extinguish a fire that broke out near the generating room at the store’s Water Street location.

The fire, which President of the company Roy Beepat described as “very serious” despite the fact that no damages were reported, erupted sometime close to 11 pm and threatened to wreck the two-storey complex. Beepat was convinced that his business would have gone up in flames had the employees not been working late.

The businessman told Stabroek News last night that he has had cause to complain about the reckless behaviour of another storeowner in the vicinity, recalling that he was forced to call in the fire service just about two weeks ago to stop the other business from burning rubbish dangerously close to his store. According to him, the short-lived blaze was again triggered by the irresponsible actions of the other business.

Based on reports he received and which he later confirmed himself Beepat said that welding activities behind his business was the cause of the fire. He said that “something went wrong” and the welding triggered the blaze.

The businessman related that his staff reacted quickly after being alerted and immediately sprung into action using the fire extinguishers on site. He said that some twenty fire extinguishers were used in the effort prior to the fire service arriving on the scene. The fire service managed to spray the affected area upon its arrival, dousing ashes which escaped the staff.

Beepat, whose business is among the more popular companies on Water Street, was relieved last night that he had no losses and that his building “was still standing.” However, he lamented recent events in the vicinity of his business as “troubling.”