See full statement from the Guyana Fire Service:
A fire broke out at approximately 10:30 AM on Wednesday in the Miners Choice area of Puruni Landing, affecting several structures, including a fuel station, guest houses, and storage facilities.
The fire originated at a fuel station owned by Mr. Glaston Fiffee, 46, and his wife, Mrs. Alanna Fiffee, 37. Early reports suggest that a faulty fuel pump may have caused the fire, though this has not yet been confirmed. Workers at the station were reportedly selling gasoline when the pump malfunctioned and burst into flames, igniting nearby combustible materials and causing the fire to spread rapidly, destroying the building.
In addition to the fuel station, several other properties were affected, including three guest houses, three storage bonds, three living quarters, two restaurants, one ice house, one boutique, one dwelling house, one generator room, and one variety store.
Several pieces of equipment, vehicles and boats were also damaged, including three engines, three dredge pumps, four generators, one ATV, three XR motorcycles, five boats equipped with Yamaha engines, four trucks, and a pickup truck.
At the time of the fire, 28 people were occupying the living quarters and guest houses. They have all been displaced as a result of the blaze.
Residents, including local miners, bravely stepped in to help contain the fire using their mining equipment, such as water pumps, showing exceptional courage and community spirit in the face of danger. Their quick response, along with the Bartica Fire Station’s deployment of Light Pump #A113, which drew water from an open source, was instrumental in bringing the blaze under control to prevent further damage to the area.
Further investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
No casualties or injuries have been reported, and the police are conducting interviews with the involved parties and witnesses.
