A fire, allegedly caused by a junkie (drug addict) at Lot 1 Public Road, Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara, completely gutted the abandoned building of what used to be Guyden General Hardware Store, yesterday afternoon.
Neighbours said they saw the junkie leaving the building minutes before the fire started. He was allegedly smoking in the yard at the back of the building which has no source of electricity.
The two-storey concrete and wooden building was completely burnt and fire fighters were still trying to douse the flames when Stabroek News arrived at the scene yesterday. The amount of damage done to the building was still unclear as neighbours said that it had been abandoned for about 3 years and that it is believed to be owned by a local bank.
A man, who lives in the lot next to the building, said he was at a shop when he saw smoke coming from the building. He said he then saw a junkie running from the back of the yard to the public road. The man added “he de smoking cigarette in de yard and like he drop de cigarette and de fire catch.”
Upon seeing the fire, the man stated, he along with other neighbours tried to put it out, but their efforts failed and the fire escalated.
Another neighbour who lives opposite the building said she was at home when she heard children in the yard next door screaming. She said she looked outside and saw smoke coming from the building and she called the fire station.
She also stated that it took about 15 minutes before the firemen arrived at the scene, but added that the fire was still small then. She continued “dem had to set up de hose and so fuh pump de water so that tek time and de fire spread.”
The fire service is currently investigating the matter.
