Early morning fire destroys building at G/Town Church

A fire, suspected to be of electrical origin, destroyed a building at the Outreach Ministries International – Winners’ Cathedral in Georgetown this morning.

The destroyed two-storey wooden and concrete building, which housed a junior church hall and kitchen facility in the lower flat, sustained severe damage to the structure and its contents.

The property is owned by Bishop Juan Edghill, who is also the Public Works Minister.

In a Facebook post this morning, Edghill said he was alerted to the fire at the third building belonging to the Church just after 05:00h this morning.

“The Guyana Fire Service responded promptly and was able to contain the fire to that building alone… Although the damage and loss are significant, we are extremely grateful for the swift response and commendable efforts of the Guyana Fire Service in containing the blaze,” the Bishop stated.

Meanwhile, in a subsequent statement, the Guyana Fire Service said it responded swiftly to the early morning fire after receiving a call at about 05:20hrs.

Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters encountered a blaze at the two-storey building, which measured approximately 11.8m by 10.8m. Fortunately, the GFS noted, no persons were reported homeless or injured as a result of the incident.

Fire tenders WT#124, 95 and W/C#28, 24 were dispatched, along with 18 firefighters under the command of Officers S/L Watts, S/L Devent, L/FM Roberts, and L/FM Thompson. Extinguishment was carried out using two jets from W/C #23 and #24.

According to the Fire Service, “Initial investigations suggest the fire was caused by a defective light bulb, which created arcing and sparking, leading to the ignition of nearby combustible materials.”

The Guyana Fire Service urges the public to ensure all electrical fittings and appliances are properly maintained, to avoid overloads and the overuse of electrical circuits.

Despite the fire on the church property, Sunday Service at the Outreach Ministries Winners’ Cathedral proceeded as scheduled this morning.