Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 11, 2016 News
… as sections of building collapsed on them
In wake of the massive fire at Gafoor’s Houston Complex on Monday evening, it has been revealed that six firefighters were injured as sections of the building collapsed during attempts to extinguish the massive blaze.
Divisional Commander Compton Sparman confirmed this development.
One fireman had reportedly stopped breathing but was successfully resuscitated via CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation), while all had to be treated for smoke inhalation and lacerations. Another firefighter sustained a fractured neck.
Injuries varied from persons’ eyes being affected by gas from the building to cuts from broken glass.
Four other firemen were treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital and sent home, with one having to seek treatment at a private hospital due to GPHC’s non-functioning X-ray machine. The firefighter with the fractured neck was kept at GPHC for observation.
The Divisional Commander indicated that all injured firefighters were granted sick leave.
In terms of the fire, Sparman stated that there were “tremendous challenges” in trying to put it out. He mentioned that while the design of the building and the high wind factor added to these challenges, six fire engines were mobilized and some one hundred firefighters were on hand to combat the inferno.
When this newspaper visited the gutted building at noon yesterday firefighters were still working on getting “deposits” of the fire out, “this was as a result of collapsed material trapping embers in the centre of the building.
The Divisional Commander also posited that almost all businessmen and women, when expanding their buildings, should install sufficient fire prevention systems. He continued that Gafoor’s did not have any sort of fire prevention measures in place, and as a result the fire was much more damaging as opposed to if more preventative systems were in place. He noted that the Gafoor’s complex only had extinguishers as a safety measure.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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