An East Bank Demerara business owner has been left counting millions of dollars in losses after a fire of unknown origin ripped through his complex at Grove this afternoon.
The Fire Service was summoned to the BR&T Enterprise Hardware Store in Grove just after 12noon after heavy smoke was spotted in the complex.
The Fire Service responded in a timely manner but the presence of combustible material in the building assisted the spread of the flames.
A woman who lives next door, Tamika Braithwaite said she was inside her house when she started to see the heavy black smoke from the complex and she immediately raised an alarm while leaving her home for safety.
“I was inside and I come to the front door and saw some black smoke and I go back inside after I saw the smoke was getting thicker, I ran back to see if I could see if I could save anything but I heard some explosive start to go on and the whole house was filled with black smoke and I just ran out, I just ran outside with my documents.” Ms. Braithwaite said
She said the quick response of the Fire Service prevented the fire from spreading to other nearby buildings.
“I think they did and good job because it would have been everything because when I saw how thick the smoke was and the fire, I said that was it, everything has gone up in flames”.
The building also housed two apartments, according to persons in the area. It is unclear where exactly in the building the fire started.
The Fire Service has launched an investigation.
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