by JULIA RAWLINS-BENTHAM
Two businesses were destroyed by fire yesterday, resulting in millions of dollars in losses and 25 people out of work.
The fire took place shortly before midday at Grazettes Industrial Estate, St Michael.
It was around 11:30 a.m. when the alarm was raised that there was a fire in the building which housed Sleep Rite (Barbados) Limited and Janya's Furniture Limited.
However, not even the quick response of the Barbados Fire Service with 20 officers, including off-duty personnel, led by Chief Fire Officer Chesterfield Mayers, and a ready supply of water could save the building.
Four tenders, from the Weston, St James, Four Roads, St John, Arch Hall, St Thomas, and Probyn Street, the City stations, rushed to the scene.
Sleep Rite, on the building's top floor, lost its entire stock including mattresses and other raw materials. Losses are being estimated at more than $1 million.
Janya's, which occupied the middle and ground floors, lost all of its furniture, but nearly $100 000 in machinery was saved. Both the contents and buildings of the two businesses were insured.
As the fire raged on, fire officials and police officers told onlookers to leave the area as the possibility of chemicals being present on the compound was raised.
Mayers said his officers had no difficulty handling the fire, which they brought under control just after noon, but could not say what caused it.
However, he warned that given the nature of the fire, it would not be easily extinguished and was likely to burn for a while.
When a SATURDAY SUN team checked again yesterday afternoon, the building was still burning and releasing thick black smoke.
(JR-B) |