2 warehouses gutted

According to reports, the owners of the warehouses Steve Samaroo and Michael Nahous both received calls from police officers that their respective properties were on fire. When the two businessmen arrived at Boundary Road Extension, El Socorro, the fire had already spread so rapidly that the warehouse owned by Nahous was already gutted and the back of Samaroo’s warehouse was ablaze.

However, the Samaroo’s retail store at the front was not gutted but items in the store sustained water damage. Nahous’ losses were estimated at between $40 to $50 million. Yesterday, the two businessmen were at the scene speaking with police and fire investigators and their respective employees. Newsday understands that both businessmen gave the assurance that something will be worked out with their employees in the coming days so that they could still have a bright Christmas.

Newsday understands that the businessmen were in the process of asking other warehouse owners in the area to absorb their employees temporarily until their warehouses are rebuilt and restocked. Steve Samaroo the owner of Samaroo’s Party Rentals said that the items in his warehouse were only recently imported in time for the Carnival season and it will cause some headache for persons involved in the Carnival costume industry.

However, he noted that every effort will be made to have materials imported to satisfy the needs of customers. Fire prevention officers returned to the scene of the blaze yesterday afternoon to continue investigations.

A fire officer said that several fire tenders were involved in the effort to extinguish the blaze.

Late yesterday the two warehouses were cordoned off and security guards placed in the area to prevent looting. Fire officers advised members of the public that it was too dangerous to enter the gutted warehouses. Arson has been ruled out and investigations are continuing