Title: Massive Blaze Devastates Anand Low Price Supermarket in Gulf View
By Staff Writer
A raging fire gutted the Anand Low Price Supermarket branch in Gulf View early yesterday, causing millions in damages and leaving dozens of employees without jobs. Bentley’s Hotel, located in the building’s lower section, was spared major damage, suffering only minor water intrusion from firefighting efforts.
The two-storey property was largely consumed by flames shortly before 4 a.m., with authorities reporting that the blaze was eventually contained to the upper floor. Senior Fire Officer Ansar Ali said the losses are still being tallied, but preliminary estimates place them in the millions when factoring stock and structural damage.
Firefighters received the call around 3:43 a.m. and dispatched an appliance from Mon Repos Fire Station. Arriving within two minutes, officers observed flames protruding from the building’s northern front and, at that moment, the structure was fully engulfed.
Ali noted that the fire likely smoldered inside the supermarket for an extended period, gradually penetrating walls and doors and spreading slowly throughout the premises. Access to the building was hampered by secured steel doors, complicating entry for emergency crews.
“The doors around it, except for the front, were steel doors with steel sheets and frames. Businesses often secure premises against burglaries, but for us it makes entry more challenging,” he explained.
Water supply challenges further hampered firefighting efforts. Initially, water truck capacity was limited, with one refilling at 10,000 litres and another at 4,000–5,000 litres. In the first 10–15 minutes, water supply ran low. Fire officers established an incident command system and sought additional water from nearby hydrants, while WASA increased local water pressure to support the operation. Two additional pumps, sourced from Penal and Chaguanas, were brought online to help control the blaze and prevent its spread.
Officials are still determining whether the building was insured. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Fire authorities are urging business owners to bolster premises protection to prevent such disasters. The Fire Services offer guidelines and inspections to help mitigate future incidents and protect livelihoods.
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