The Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) administration today said that a government building was ravaged by fire and twelve persons from four families are now homeless.

At approximately 14:22hrs today, the Regional Administration said in a press release that it received a fire call and immediately dispatched its fire tender. The tender arrived within four minutes of the initial call. It said that the tender was driven by the Regional Executive Officer Ronald Harsawack and another staffer, who were both in the Administrative compound at the time of the call.

On arrival two of the four apartments of the wooden and concrete structure were well alit, aided by a heavy wind. The release said that the building housed staff from the Health, Administrative and Public Works Departments of Region Eight. Additional ranks of the Mahdia Fire Auxiliary Brigade later arrived to provide back up.

Harsawack said the four hundred and fifty gallon tank supply was exhausted within three minutes of operation. The release said that at that time, the fire was initially contained until gas cylinders exploded sending flames throughout the entire structure. At this point the fire tender sought to access water from an overhead reservoir from a nearby gas station however efforts proved futile. The tender then proceeded to a nearby creek to replenish its supply.

Twelve persons from four families completely lost all of their belongings. The cause of the fire is still unknown. The Guyana Fire Service is expected to launch an investigation, the release said.

The building on fire (Region Eight photo)