Blaze destroys fire tender, officer injured

A  fire tender was destroyed in a cane field at Locust Hall, St George just before midday today.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Henderson Patrick told reporters at the scene, the service received a report of a trash fire at the site around 10:32, and just under two hours later they received a distress call from an officer at the scene.

The driver of the tender suffered some injury to his hand but has been receiving medical attention. The other three officers were not injured.

Patrick said: “It was unfortunate that this incident has occurred, and it is something that we often guard against because what it does is that it reduces the capacity that we have.”

Home Affairs Minister Wilfred Abraham visited the scene and said his immediate priority is the safety of the officers.

He however told reporters he would await a full report on the incident.