A massive Tuesday night blaze destroyed a Fifth Street, Alberttown building that housed dozens of residents, including Guyanese, Cubans, Trinidadians, and Venezuelans.
Fire Chief (ag.) Gregory Wickham told reporters on Wednesday morning that the building was destroyed, but firefighters were able to stop the blaze from spreading to other buildings in close proximity.
The Fire Chief said firefighters and five water tenders responded to the incident. The team, he said, managed to bring the fire “down to a controllable position” and hence, prevented the spread.
The fire reportedly started around 18:30 hrs. By 19:00 hrs, the wooden and concrete building was entirely engulfed in flames, with residents safely evacuated.
Shaquana Jones, a mother of two who lived in the building, said she was unable to secure any of her valuables. She was only able to evacuate with her children and other residents.
Another resident, a Trinidadian national, said he was fast asleep when the fire started, but several other residents came to get him out of the building. By the time he was alerted, the man recalled, the building was engulfed in thick smoke and flames, but he scrambled downstairs and escaped.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. The Fire Chief said investigators are examining several theories.
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