Firemen still in the dark over Sando blaze

INVESTIGATORS from the Fire Department, the Police Service and the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (TTEC) were all still in the dark yesterday as to the cause of the blaze which on Friday night caused extensive damage to two abandoned buildings and partially burnt an old TSTT building along St James Street, San Fernando.

However, while investigators returned to the scene to search for clues, TSTT technicians were busy repairing burnt wires and boxes in an effort to return telephone power to over a thousand customers who were affected by the fire. And a release issued by TSTT yesterday, advised that full service was returned to affected areas in San Fernando. Some customers had complained that following the fire, they could not make or receive calls and were dependent solely on their mobile phones to keep in contact with loved ones and/or associates.

The release stated that approximately 1,000 customers on Lower High Street, Chacon Street, Mt Moriah Road, San Fernando Street, Quenca Street, St James Street, Kings Wharf and environs were out of service. The fire was a double tragedy for Dr Ravi Maharaj, owner of the buildings, who was attending his mother’s wake a short distance away, when the blaze broke out. Dr Maharaj’s mother, Myah Ramnarine Maharaj, who also owned one of the buildings, was cremated at Mosquito Creek on Saturday.
 
When contacted yesterday, Dr Maharaj said the fire was indeed a real tragedy for the family. “It came so soon after the death of my mother,” he added. Unable to give a clear estimate of his losses, Maharaj said the family intended to rebuild the commercial buildings as soon as possible. Firefighters from Mon Repos Fire Headquarters led by Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Curwin Callender and detectives of the San Fernando CID are continuing investigations.