After a heavy fire in the Historisch Centrum Paramaribo, residents ask for protection of heritage

Shocked, local resident Marlon Gemerts runs on Thursday afternoon along the smoldering remains of five huge buildings that were still stately next to each other until today. Coughing because of the stimulating smoke that still hangs in the air hours after the fire, he turns his head shaking. « This is the umpteenth fire. Last year it was hit at Nassylaan. We recently also had a fire on Heerenstraat. And they are always abandoned and empty buildings here in the old town, » he sighs.

The shock in Paramaribo is large. The fire that broke out on Thursday morning at ten to local time, set five buildings in ash in the historic city center. There were no injuries. But the damage is great. A gaping hole, right in the center, shows the sad end result after the huge sea of ​​fire.

A woman holds a handkerchief in front of her mouth and looks at the huge havoc with wide eyes. A group of firefighters are exhausted on the ground while further on a bulldozer with full force breaks the remains of what was once the roof of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Vulnerable heritage

It is not the first time that a fire breaks out in the city center of the Surinamese capital. The white-painted eighteenth-century buildings from the colonial era are the pride of Paramaribo. They are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, but are vulnerable. And this time the damage is very large. Partly due to a severe wind, problems that the fire brigade encountered, such as a broken submersible pump and too little water and resources, the fire could quickly put around.

Although fire brigade commander Mario Vismale does not want to get ahead and await the investigation, he does have strong suspicions in which direction the cause of the fire should be sought. « Many buildings are abandoned and attract homeless people and drug addicts, and that entails great risks. Fire hazard is then lurking quickly, » he says. Between the smoking buildings, part of a collapsed building catches fire again in the afternoon. Vismale calls on his men to immediately spray the place with a joy.  »

After the fire, President Chan Santokhi visited the place together with a number of ministers and expressed his support and compassion to the shopkeepers who have lost their buildings. He also promised a thorough investigation into the fire and into the circumstances in which the fire brigade had to work. « Our country and our people are resilient. We will also bridge this challenge. We will rebuild and restore this place together, » said Santokhi. In recent years there would have been investment in the capacity of the Suriname fire brigade according to Santokhi.

‘Irreparable loss’

An owner of one of the destroyed buildings reacts angry to social media. « We have been warning the government about the dangers of the vacant buildings for a long time. We have been asking for a long time that there will be support for these monumental buildings. This could have been prevented, » he says. The foundation built heritage (SGES) writes in a press release that they have been defeated by the fire. « This forms an irreparable loss of valuable elements of our history and culture. Heritage. Wealth, « writes the foundation.

Later in the afternoon, the police announce that two tramps have been arrested who are suspected of arson. Marlon Gemerts who lives a street away and walked past the colonial buildings every day is not surprised. « There must be better shelter for homeless people. And abandoned historic buildings in the city center must be given a destination. Paramaribo has a unique center, it is not for nothing that it has a protective status, » he says.

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