UPDATED: Fire near GT prisons destroys two restaurants

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:01 by GxMedia

An early Thursday morning fire left four persons homeless and 16 others without a job.

The blaze destroyed the locally owned Supreme Food Court and Food Lion owned by Chinese nationals.

The homeless include Nigel Ritch, his wife, 10-year old child a 22-year old British niece who has been visiting since last Friday. She lost her possessions including her passport to that European country.

Ritch said he smelt smoke around 1:45 AM and when he looked out he saw fire on the top flat of the Chinese restaurant immediately east of his premises.

Ritch criticised fire fighting tactics, saying that on arrival the fighters aimed their hoses at the front of the Chinese restaurant instead of between the two buildings. He believed that his business would have been saved although the top flat where he lived might have been destroyed.

He estimates his losses at GUY$14 million.

Although 16 employees of the Food Court are now on the breadline, Ritch hopes to absorb a number of them at another branch that has been recently opened on Smyth Street, Georgetown.

Supreme Food Court had been in existence for eight years while Ritch had been living in the upper flat for 11 years.

The two flat wooden and concrete building was owned by Charlie Bovell.