3 trucks, 2 cars, supermarket warehouse go up in flames

LOUD EXPLOSIONS of gas tanks in a supermarket warehouse echoed through Mission Road, Freeport at the scene of a million-dollar fire yesterday afternoon. The burning gas-filled tanks swiftly ignited through So-Low Supermarket, razing through the warehouse area and completely destroying three trucks and two cars which were parked nearby. Fire officers said they were not yet able to ascertain the cause of the fire which began around 1.30 pm in the warehouse area. Twenty grocery workers, together with residents in the area moved quickly to salvage grocery items from the spreading flames. However, the majority of the goods were left either water-damaged or burnt. Grocery proprietor Manhwanee Ramdial still unable to come to grips with the tragedy, could not yet put an estimate on the damage to his 20-year-old business. “I really can’t say how I am feeling right now. I don’t know if it is shock or what,” Ramdial said as the firefighters battled to contain the blaze. Four fire appliances from Chaguanas and Couva Fire Services and two ambulances quickly responded to the scene and were able to contain the blaze to the warehouse of the half-acre premises.

The firefighters were able to prevent severe damage to the supermarket, and the Ramdial residence located upstairs the supermarket. Ramdial’s son, Deochan, 14, said he was at home with his mother, Bissoondaye, seven-year-old sister, Leela, and cousin, Vanessa Rajroop, when the explosions of the gas tanks rocked the house. Rajroop recalled: “I now started to mop the house and my aunt started to cook when we heard the gas tanks exploding, and we ran out of the house”. Luckily no one suffered any injuries. Acting Divisional Fire Officer Michael Salandy of the Chaguanas Fire Station said that the bales of sugar stacked in the warehouse proved the most difficult to extinguish. “The bales of sugar are giving us the most problems. However, we were able to confine the fire from the areas where the other goods such as oil, soft drinks, rubber slippers, and alcohol, were packed,” he said. ADFO Salandy added that firefighters also had to be cautious with a 10,000 diesel container on the premises although it was empty. Even though the four fire appliances each came equipped with 3,000 litres of water, water also had to be pumped from a nearby swimming pool.