Fire near Stabroek Market: Electrical circuit overload suspected as cause of fire – GFS

An electrical circuit overload is suspected to have caused Saturday night’s fire that completely destroyed a building in the vicinity of Croal and Cornhill Streets, near the Stabroek Market in Georgetown. According to an update from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), the suspected point of origin was on the south-western side of the building’s top floor, where an overloaded electrical circuit reportedly resulted in arcing and sparking.

The sparks are believed to have ignited nearby combustible materials, allowing the fire to spread throughout the structure. The building was owned by 56-year-old Abdul Arazaar Khan and its ground floor housed a clothing store, while the first and upper floors were used as a private residence. The occupants of the residential section were identified as five Chinese nationals. The latest findings follow the GFS’s initial statement on Sunday that investigations were ongoing to establish the origin and cause of the blaze, which started at about 20:25h on Saturday.

Full coverageFire Destroys Store Near Stabroek Market in Georgetown5 reports

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The fire triggered an extensive firefighting operation in the busy commercial district. Three fire tenders initially responded, but upon arrival, firefighters found the building fully engulfed in flames. Three additional fire tenders were subsequently deployed, bringing the total to six, as firefighters worked to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to neighbouring buildings.