Quick action by firemen last night averted what could have been a major disaster at the Jainarine Singh Building on Croal Street which houses several magistrates’ courts, lawyers’ offices and other legal affairs business places.
A senior fire official on the ground told Stabroek News that the first report of a fire came in at 10.31 pm and the response was immediate.
He said that the fire started in the bottom front flat of the three storey building. At the moment it is unclear what started the blaze, the official said, noting that “we are still in the fire-fighting mode to ensure that the smoke inside does not build up to start another fire.”
When Stabroek News arrived, one fire engine was on the scene and firefighters using an axe were trying to gain access to other sections of the building. Through a hole in a window that a fireman had broken open, thick smoke could be seen inside.From all indications the fire started either in the Sunita Document Centre or an adjoining room. The interior of both rooms had significant damage. The exterior of the building near the two rooms was also extensively scorched.
The building is located behind the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court which has been undergoing rehabilitation works since last year. The courts housed there have since been relocated to a building on Middle Street.
Stabroek News was told that the building was bought sometime last year by businessman Omprakash `Buddy’ Shivraj and several occupants were given notice to move. Based on what this newspaper has gathered the deadline for removal was the end of September 2011, but it came and went and the occupants remained.
This newspaper was told that recently, the person who occupied the room next to the Sunita Document Centre moved out and “the landlord” came and gave it a general clean-up before changing the locks.
A distraught Sunita Houssain told Statroek News at the scene that she was there earlier in the day and left around 1 pm. She was adamant that nothing was left on, adding that she had no cause to turn on any electrical item during her visit.
Houssain started her business at that location in 2005 and never had a problem.
She said that she was unaware that it was her business which was ablaze because when she got the news it was that “Croal Street was on fire.”
Among those visiting the scene was attorney-at-law Frank Fraser who has his office in the building.
Meanwhile police arrested a lawyer’s clerk after she ran into the smoke filled building and opened her employer’s office to assess the damage first hand.
Up to press time fire officials were still trying to gain access to the many rooms in the building to ensure that the fire was under control.
