Early morning fire at Needsmust Power Station
Citizens left in the dark...

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THERE are many unanswered questions to an early-morning fire at the Needsmust Power Station today (Oct. 2), which caused electricity outage throughout St. Kitts.

A resident of the vicinity told SKNVibes that he was alarmed by the luminous flames and the loud crackling sounds coming from one of the buildings in the station. 

He informed that the fire happened around 3:45 this morning and, within a matter of minutes, he heard sirens wailing in the not-too-distant background.

“When I got out of my bed, and actually got to the scene [at the power station], it was pitch black.
 
The thick soot was forcing its way out of the station and it covered the sky. I saw a few police officers and fire fighters...as well as some persons from the Electricity Department, but there was no flame when I had arrived on the scene.”

The onlooker further informed that the response by the police and Fire and Rescue Services was very prompt as “they were able to put out the fire in less than an hour”.

However, the majority of St. Kitts was without electricity until 8:00 this morning and, up to press time, it had not returned to some villages and the nation's capital.

According to a press release issued by the Management of the Station, “the Needsmust Power Station lost its two largest engines (Mirrlees 8MB 430 and Mirrlees12MB 430) due to fires on control panels on both engines. This caused an island wide blackout”.

Consequently, the operating capacity at the Power Station was “reduced to 15.9 megawatts thereby resulting in forced outages in certain areas of the island. Two staff members were treated at the J. N. France General Hospital” and were subsequently discharged.

SKNVibes contacted Bertil Browne, Superintendant of Transmission and Distribution at the Power Station, who refused to give a detailed statement on the matter. He however informed that investigations would be conducted by the Fire and Rescue Services to ascertain the cause of the fire.

Fire Chief Hester Rawlins was also contacted and explicitly stated that he is “unable to comment on the fire at the moment,” adding, “It is a serious situation. I expect a release to be done by the PS [Permanent Secretary] in relation to the matter. Until then I am not in any position to make a public statement.”

Numerous efforts to contact the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works, Oaklyn Peets, proved unsuccessful.

However, SKNVibes subsequently learnt that the Hon. Dr. Earl Asim Martin, Minister of Public Works, Utilities, Transport and Posts will be hosting a press conference at the Needsmust Power Station Conference Room at 1:30 p.m. today to provide further information.  ~~Adz:Right~~