Tunapuna Fire Devastates Businesses

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A family experiences  double tragedy in a matter of days as a blazing fire engulfs their business-place in Tunapuna last night ….

Speculations remain as to how exactly it all started.    

According to reports around 8:20pm last night a man was doing a welding job to the gate of “Camella’s and Amelia’s” Variety Store at the Eastern Main Road, Tunupuna, when the fire started.

As welding flames came into contact with some of the dry-goods the flames quickly spread throughout the store…further spreading to 2 nearby variety stores and a storeroom building.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars in goods went up in flames leaving many jobless.

Fire officers from the nearby Tunapuna Fire Station arrived quickly on the scene, but had a difficult time trying to contain the flame which at times went as high as 100 feet into the air.

Due to the lack of water and non-functional hydrants along with leaking hoses, they were subsequently assisted by their colleagues from the San Juan, and Chaguanas stations, and were able to bring the blaze under-control,.. And prevent it from spreading to other surrounding buildings.

It took the officers almost 5 hours to bring the fire under control.

7Eyewitness-news Crime Reporter DJ Sheriff arrived on the scene persons  were seen being carted away due to smoke inhalation while others attempted to remove as many goods from their nearby stores.

The Tunapuna Police under Insp. Maharaj monitored the scene to avoid any instances of looting.

A full scale investigation has been launched into the actual cause of the fire.

Camella’s and Amelias Variety Store was owned by business man Ragoonath Sooknanan who was gunned down Saturday morning mere meters from his business place.

His funeral is expected to take place this morning.