BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SOUND judgment and a high degree of professionalism by members of the Federation’s Fire and Rescue Services contained a fire last night (May 30) that could have left many people homeless in Lower Cayon.
However, despite their valiant effort, the firefighters were unable to save the dilapidated wooden building that once housed the Cayon Library.
On arrival at the scene, SKNVibes observed traffic was at a standstill at both ends of the Island’s Main Road while the firemen were busy battling the licking flames that threatened surrounding buildings.
According to a receptionist at the Basseterre Fire Department, they received a report of the fire at 9:14 p.m. and a unit was immediately dispatched to the scene.
Speaking with Sub-Station Fire Officer Everson Belle, this media house was told how the firemen were able to contain the fire to the one building.
“When we arrived at the scene, the fire was raging, and as I drove the truck past the burning building the hair on my hands were singed.
“In this hemisphere, the winds blow from the northeast and we normally fight fires upwind because the wind takes the smoke and debris downwind. But in this case, due to the topography and the threat to surrounding buildings, we decided to fight the fire from downwind.
“In so doing, we were able to contain the fire from its place of origin and assure homeowners of their safety,” Belle explained.
He was however unable to say what caused the fire and further explained that clues could not have been easily identified in the night, but noted that a thorough investigation would be conducted on the following day.
Some residents claimed that the fire was not an electrical one, because the building was abandoned for many years. They however suggested that it may have started by individuals who frequent the building to smoke marijuana.
The last of the smoldering debris was extinguished at approximately 10:30 and traffic returned to normalcy along the Island’s Main Road.
