Hazel Frederick stayed away from her job at Food Basket Market Place, Chaguanas, yesterday because she was feeling sick.
Frederick stayed home and rested. Around 5 pm, however, Frederick was awakened by her mother, who told her the supermarket was on fire.
Frederick could not believe what she was hearing so she organised a drop from her cousin, left her Charlieville home and went to Food Basket to see for herself what was going on.
When she arrived she saw the building engulfed in smoke and fire officers battling the blaze. Her eyes filled with tears.
Frederick told the T&T Guardian it felt like it was all a bad dream. An employee since 2006, she was just one of some 60 workers who are now jobless following the multi-million dollar fire at the business yesterday.
This was the second fire the supermarket chain has faced in two weeks.
On May 30 major damage was averted at the Southern Food Basket on Coffee Street, San Fernando. Only minor damage occurred after the quick response from fire officers. The Chaguanas branch was not as fortunate yesterday.
Around 3.25 pm yesterday, 17-year-old Massiah Arthur was packing toilet paper in the upstairs warehouse when he noticed a fire in an area where bleach and insecticide sprays were stored. He said when he saw the blaze he ran and alerted others to the danger.
Fazeeda Latchman was about to end her shift when she heard someone shout: “Fire!”
Shannon Katteck was one of those who heard Latchman’s warning.
“About 3.30 I was in the market area of the supermarket when I heard loud explosions coming from upstairs. I saw one of the workers running downstairs and shouting ‘Fire.’
“I asked him what happened and he said the fire started in the warehouse. At that time I started to gather the workers to vacate the building because the whole place started to catch fire,” manager Mickey Silochan said.
The first shift for the day, which has about 40 workers, had just ended and the 20 second shift workers were taking up their duties.
While Tara Jagan, who was also on duty at the time, said she was fearful about her job, she said she was glad all of her colleagues were able to escape safely.
Dozens of workers stood up in shock looking at the building go up in flames. They passed around a notebook and wrote their names to make sure everyone was accounted for.
Water woes
Acting Chief Fire Officer Roosevelt Bruce said they had to overcome some water problems in tackling yesterday’s blaze.
He said fire officers from the nearby Chaguanas station called Savonetta and headquarters, Wrightson Road, for support and six fire appliances and 75 fire officers responded to the blaze.
“Initially we had problems with water. The hydrant was not supplying enough water. WASA (the Water and Sewerage Authority) boosted the pressure in the area and we had a slight assistance there.
“However, we called for tankers from WASA and the Regional Corporation and that helped us a great deal,” he said.
Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan visited the scene yesterday and called for businesses in the community to rally around Food Basket.
“I am hoping that whatever can be done to make sure the business can be back at the earliest possible time, even on a phased basis, so that it can serve the community,” Boodhan said.
“All business, all burgesses, all residents, they are of equal importance to us and we will do anything to make sure that our community is safe, secure and in moments like these we are asking all stakeholders, all businesses to rally around the owners of Food Basket Market Place,” he added.
Yesterday’s fire resulted in major traffic pile-ups along the nearby Uriah Butler Highway and surrounding streets.