By Joseph Allen
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said that “it was a close call” for the five Chinese nationals whose lives were saved from the inferno that engulfed their supermarket on Saffon Street early on Saturday morning.
The Chinese nationals were rushed to the hospital, where they were treated for smoke inhalation.
The fire occurred just about 2:30 am on Saturday in the vicinity of Saffon and Sussex streets, Georgetown, opposite the La Penitence market. The burnt building housed a supermarket and other businesses. With thick smoke emanating and seen from afar, six water tenders, one hydraulic platform, one fire boat, and a hose layer from Central, Alberttown, Campbellville, West Ruimveldt, Eccles, and Fire Service Headquarters responded to the scene. The fire brigade arrived close to 3 am and firefighters reported that they say saw smoke coming from the building from all directions. Immediately, the firefighters sprang into action to contain the fire, however, the firefighters were informed that some Chinese nationals had been trapped in the building for over an hour.
