BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A smouldering fire at West Farm had inconvenienced some residents of that community as, even days after the blaze was being fought by the St. Kitts-Nevis Fire and Rescue Services, constant smoke still billowed from the area.
On Thursday (Jan. 16) sometimes after 10:00 a.m., officers responded to a report of a fire in vicinity of Ross University School of Veterinary Studies. The fire was located on the mountain side of the road on a piece of grassland next to houses that form part of West Farm.
The fire appeared to threaten at least two properties and was dangerously close to utility posts on the mountain side of the road.
The officers accessed the fire through the yard of one of the homes which was in the path of the fire and, according to reports, they were successful in averting a disastrous situation from panning out.
However, Acting Fire Chief Everette O’Garro told SKNVibes that his officers discovered an excess of animal manure in the area where the fire occurred, which suggested that it was dumped there and possibly being stored there.
He said the cause of the fire is not known but “compost like that can give rise to spontaneous combustion, which is where a fire starts without the involvement of an external source...”
He further explained that because the manure seemed to have been mixed with the soil, with much of it extended into the ground, it gave the effect of a coal kiln burning from underground.
And difficulty was experienced because the water used by the firemen to extinguish the fire was not enough to deeply saturate the area and reach the seat of the fire.
He explained that because of this effect the residents of the area were plagued with constant smoke emissions and the Department was contacted to assist in attempting to quench the smouldering fire.
“They (the officers) have been going back there for the past two days. Today, we requested the assistance of one of Ross’ backhoes to upturn the sod so the fire officers could get access to the seat of fire and extinguish it.”
The Acting Chief issued a strong warning to “persons who have a tendency of indiscriminately set fires in open land, whether to get rid of brush that they might have cleared off of land or whatever. That these fires are very dangerous and, with favourable wind conditions, they can get out of control and spread to surrounding residential areas and create the possible risk of damage to property. So we want people to desist from this practice”.
