Fire Chief Marlon Gentle said eight firefighters were injured on Monday evening as they attempted to battle the blaze that destroyed the Gafoors Complex at Houston, Greater Georgetown.
Gentle said the eight ranks received injuries when sections of the complex collapsed on them.
According to a report in today’s Guyana Times, Deputy Fire Chief Compton Sparman also related that of those injured, one fireman was affected by the gases associated with fire.
“When he leave (the fire scene), he wasn’t breathing properly, he had to be [rushed] to the Georgetown Hospital. One had a fracture; I think his neck had some problems, and his wrist,” Sparman said.
According to reports, firefighters also sustained “bumps and bruises” while some were reportedly given sick leave.
The popular Gafoors Shopping Complex located at Houston, went up in flames on Monday as workers were about to leave for the day, leaving billions of dollars in losses. Reports are that the fire started about 15:00hrs in Bond Number Three, which contained fishing equipment. Despite attempts by firefighters from the Guyana Fire Service to contain the blaze, the fire quickly engulfed the building as the glass shutters shattered.
Meanwhile, even though the massive blaze started Monday, fire service ranks up to noon yesterday were still trying to extinguish pockets of fire at the Gafoors Complex.
Employees who turned up at their place of work yesterday were visibly traumatised; with some of them openly expressing how uncertain they were about their future with the company. They were reportedly told by 
management that they should return today, as decisions on their jobs are pending.
While owner of the hardware giant, Sattaur Gafoor, was at the time meeting with Insurance Brokers to sort out other matters, operators of canter trucks expressed their deep concerns over possible unemployment.
