Fire guts New City Mall in PoS

Fire yesterday gutted a building which housed the popular New City Mall on Independence Square, Port of Spain.

Eyewitnesses told Sunday Newsday the fire began around 9 am at one of the booths in the mall. Fire officers from the Wrightson Road headquarters were contacted and arrived minutes later. However, by that time, the fire had gutted the mall.

Affected booths include Shelly’s Artisan Gallery and Zee’s Technology.

One tenant, Lorraine Clement, said she was temporarily trapped in her booth when the fire began.

“I saw the smoke and say let me call the Fire Services and when they came they broke the glass to get to the booth because it was on fire. I was trapped at the back of my store waiting for someone to come in,” she said.

Winston Scott, custodian of the building, said he was saddened by the blaze since it came as a shock. He said tenants at the mall had been clamouring for proper facilities for years. One tenant, he estimated, lost over $150,000 in money and goods.

Witnesses praised the fire officers for containing the blaze, which they feared could have spread to other nearby businesses.

Officers believe the fire was caused by electrical problems. Investigations are continuing.