The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) is distancing itself from any blame for the destruction caused by last Fri-day's fire in Pitt street, New Amsterdam, even though according to a senior officer its investigations are still continuing. Since the midnight/ early morning fire which razed ten business premises and one small cottage the fire service and the Guyana Water Inc have sought to exonerate themselves with contradictory statements.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Vibert Vernon Williams on Monday night issued a statement on Dave's Television Station (DTV) Channel 8 in New Amsterdam declaring that "the Guyana Fire Service was in no way culpable or negligent in its duties during the fire." He however told viewers that investigations into the fire were still continuing.
Yesterday, several victims were seen rummaging through the charred remains of their buildings and/or businesses as the burnt-out section of Pitt Street remained barricaded and under police guard. Williams said the statement was being made in response to allegations levelled against the fire service from several quarters.
According to the senior officer, two fire tenders and one light pump were dispatched from the New Amsterdam department at 12:03 am in response to the fire. "We were notified of the fire at 12:01 am. One tender went to the Republic Road canal and began pumping water. The second went to a hydrant/underground chamber in front of A Ali's General Store on Main Street but there was no water available." This tender, he explained, developed mechanical problems but was subsequently repaired and joined the other tender at the Republic Road canal. The light pump he said was left at the hydrant on Main Street. "At 12:06 we requested assistance from Guysuco and attempted to contact Guyana Water Inc to boost the pressure but we were not successful until 12:10 am. After 20-25 minutes of pumping we were not obtaining any striking pressure while the low level of the water in the canal and problems with a pump also created problems for fire-fighters."
Guyana Water Inc divisional manager, Roy Codetta told this newspaper that the New Amsterdam plant did not receive any telephone calls from the GFS notifying it that there was a fire as is the standard operational procedure. "The first time we learnt about the fire was at 12:17 am when an employee called me on my mobile phone. I immediately rushed down to the plant which is about five minutes by car from my home. At approximately 12:20-25 am we began pumping water through our 14-inch main ring distribution line. It would have taken about five minutes for one of the chambers to be filled." Codette explained that at 12:30 am the chamber which has a depth of approximately two metres in front of Alli's store was open and overflowing. "At this point we were pumping some 1,049 metre cube at two bar pressure per hour. Our normal pumping level is 700 metre cube."
Williams in his statement said that at 12:30 am when a tender from Guysuco's Rose Hall Estate arrived there was still no water at the hydrant in front of Alli's Store forcing it to revert to the canal some 200 metres away and also 400 metres from the fire. "At 12:50 am a Land Rover with a pump arrived from Albion and checked the hydrant in front of Sue Young's store at the corner of Strand and Chapel street, but there was no water also until some time later." He acknowledged that the hoses were leaking but attributed this to the pressure of pumping, rough terrain, hot debris, traffic and the rigours of fire-fighting.
The fire engine from Albion he disclosed also developed a mechanical problem shortly after arrival. His statements were however refuted by Codette who told Stabroek News that two chambers on Strand were filled shortly after 12:30 am, but were not being used by any tender from the fire service. The two chambers on Strand are approximately 50 metres from the scene of the fire. According to Codette a Guysuco fire engine arrived shortly after and began using water from the chamber.
The divisional manager explained that there is an understanding between the GFS and the Guyana Water Inc that in the event of a fire, the service would inform the company immediately.
"When this happens, the operator on duty would immediately press a button triggering a pump to send water to the area." He noted that the plant operates between 5:00 am and 9:00 pm. "After this we would undertake maintenance works and re-fill our storage tanks... We do not operate the plant on a 24-hour basis."
According to the official "it was not until 4.00 am that we received a call from the fire service requesting permission to fill up one of their tenders."
Meanwhile a 75 year-old woman of Hikel alley has been left homeless in the aftermath of the fire. Pearlie Bacchus who lived as a tenant in a small wooden cottage aback of Ganpatsingh's Drug Store with her 36 year-old son lost all her belongings when the fire razed the old one-bedroom cottage.
"I was on the road selling cigarettes when someone told me there was a fire in Pitt Street. I began running to-wards my home but couldn't get far because the fire had already begun to spread. I lost everything, including all my clothing, about $6,000 in cash, some jewellery, kitchen utensils and furniture. At the moment I have nowhere to live. My daughter-in-law has provided some refuge for me but I do not know how long this will last," the petite old woman told this newspaper yesterday.
Almost everyone in town know Auntie Pearlie, as she is familiarly known, since she has been peddling cigarettes for as long as anyone can remember. She is pleading with the town council, the government, the business community and the general public to assist her in whatever way possible to secure some form of lodging.
A nine-member committee comprising representatives of the victims, the regional administration, the town council, the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCC&DA) and the government are to meet shortly to explore possible areas of assistance.
Stabroek News understands that the Guyana Relief Council, Food for the Poor and commercial banks are likely to be approached in an effort to explore the possibilities. The fire has left in its aftermath 100 persons jobless, sixteen businesses, several stalls and one cottage gutted and more that $100 million in losses.