Vintage house destroyed by fire in San Fernando

A FIRE on Sunday afternoon in San Fernando has gutted the childhood home of Kiran Singh, president of the Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce.

The fire started at around 1.45 pm at the corner of Penitence and Chacon streets. Fire was also seen next door in a bushy area.

Mon Repos fire officers put out the fire at the wooden and concrete structure preventing it from spreading to the nearby private hospital – the Surgi-Med Clinic.

Singh said the house was built about 100 years ago using materials from San Fernando Hill. His grandfather Ramnarayan Ramphal Maharaj, who died in 2006, owned the property.

As fire officers battled the blaze, Singh said he was alerted a few minutes earlier.

"The fire totally destroyed the house. It was an unfortunate experience. It was an icon in the city landscape for many years. I grew up in that house and saw the development of San Fernando over the years," Singh told Newsday.

"In fact, I enjoyed Carnival from this location, walking down Penitence Street. I enjoyed many activities in downtown San Fernando over the years. It is with a strong level of grief that I have to witness the destruction of this house today."

He said a homeless person "occasionally" occupied the house. The family had planned to refurbish and remodel the house.

"It was a vintage house back in the day. But the pandemic, economic downturn, and cash flow did not allow us to refurbish the house. That will not happen anymore, unfortunately. But we will live by the history of it through pictures and family memories," Singh said.

"Thankfully, all grace to God that no one was injured in the fire, and it was on a Sunday so there was no traffic disruption. I have been in contact with the person who stayed in the house. He is out of the area, thankfully."

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Investigations are ongoing.