A few hours before the fire that gutted the building housing Coreas Mini Mart broke out last Sunday, workmen had been carrying out renovation work at the property.

Two sources close to Coreas told SEARCHLIGHT that earlier on the day of the fire, work had been carried out at {{more}}the back section of the building.

“They were planning to place cold counters at the back, close to the side facing ACE Hardware. They had already destroyed some steps close to where the main switch of the building was,” one of the sources told SEARCHLIGHT.

However, the source said he could not say if the renovation work had anything to do with the fire that broke out around 5 p.m. Sunday at the building at the corner of Melville and Lower Bay Street.

On Monday, general manager of Coreas Distribution Ltd Jimmie Forde told SEARCHLIGHT that the 40 workers employed at the mini mart have been assured that their jobs are secure.

Some of the employees have already been relocated to different positions within the company, while others who were owed vacation days were sent on leave, effective the day following the fire. They too, will be placed upon return.

Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Superintendent Ruth Jacobs told SEARCHLIGHT Wednesday that she did not yet have a report on the findings of the investigations into the fire. She further stated that the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) is spearheading investigations.