Barbados Today

NASSAU — Authorities are investigating whether a fire that destroyed the North Eleuthera administrative complex yesterday was the result of an electrical malfunction.
Jolton Johnson, island administrator for the North Eleuthera district, said the fire and subsequent explosion left the building, which housed a magistrate’s court, post office, district council office and town hall, burnt from the inside out.
Local Government Minister V. Alfred Gray, who visited the scene yesterday, said the fire started around 11 a.m.
He said no one was seriously injured.
A statement from the government said that one person was being treated for smoke inhalation.
According to the statement, four people were inside the building when the fire started.
Johnson said he was on his way to the office when he saw a pillar of smoke.
“I saw a dark cloud of smoke, so my mind went on bush fires because recently we’ve had a lot of bush fires in the settlement and farms,” he said.
“So as I drove near to my office, I discovered that the smoke was coming from my office and I saw my staff standing outside.
“I discovered that the building was on fire and they told me that it started in one of the back rooms.”
He said about six people worked at the complex. (Nassau Guardian)