Fire destroys San Juan business

THE destruction of an El Socorro business on Wednesday is being optimistically viewed as a new beginning by the company’s marketing director.

Speaking with the media after Wednesday morning’s fire at Chrome Furnishers Ltd, Nazia Mohammed said: “This is a time of change. New beginnings are coming.”

The fire at the businessplace at Farouk Avenue El Socorro, San Juan was reported around 5.55 am on Wednesday. Fire officials said they had to break down two walls to get inside the building to extinguish the flames, which spread to three homes nearby.

Up to 3 pm they were still at the scene.

Majeed Khan, one of the the homeowners affected, told Newsday he was at work when his wife called to say there had been an explosion, and he had to rush home. He said he and neighbours helped each other secure their belongings.

Khan said he suffered water damage.

Another resident, Elisha Bocas, told the media she felt the disappointment of the workers who while on their way to work saw the building engulfed in flame. Bocas said many of the homeowners were lucky to be alive, as they were asleep when the blaze started.

Fire officials said eight employees were affected by the blaze.

The estimated damage will be assessed later this week.This is the second warehouse fire this year that was near a residential area.

On January 4 a warehouse at Citrus Drive, Enterprise, Chaguanas, which stocked goods for Alisha Marketing and Sumeds Ltd Poultry Equipment, was gutted, leaving some 50 people unemployed.