A fire at the Builder’s Value Mart warehouse in Bridgetown on Wednesday morning has reignited concerns about fire safety in the area, almost 14 years to the day since the tragic Campus Trendz blaze that claimed six young lives.
The fire, which broke out just before 10 a.m., on Reed Street, The City and threatened to spread, was quickly brought under control by the Barbados Fire Service (BFS). Errol Maynard, the chief fire officer, reported that 25 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze, which had already caused significant damage to the building’s roof.
“We responded initially with three water tenders and augmented that with the ladder truck and a couple of small appliances,” Maynard explained.
He noted that while the building had partially collapsed during the firefighting efforts, no injuries were reported.
The incident has brought renewed attention to fire safety measures in the densely populated area. Barbadians were thrown into a state of shock, pain and anger on September 3, 2010 when news quickly spread that two would-be robbers had thrown an explosive device into the single-entry and exit Campus Trendz clothing store on Tudor Street in The City.
Business owner Asha Ram Mirchandani.
The building went up in flames taking the lives of Shanna Griffith, Nikkita Belgrave, Pearl Cornelius, Tiffany Harding, Kellishaw Olivierre and Kelly Ann Welch. Three of the women were employees at the Campus Trendz Boutique, and the other three were customers. They were apparently trapped when they ran to the back of the store to escape the smoke and flames.
Maynard acknowledged that while progress had been made, there were still a number of one-door shops in the vicinity, reminiscent of the conditions that contributed to the Campus Trendz tragedy. However, he emphasised that fire officials conduct regular inspections and provide training to operators and workers in these buildings.
“There are some one-door shops in Barbados, and I believe that until all of them are retrofitted, we will basically continue to have one-door shops,” the chief fire officer said. “What we do though, we work with the proprietors to put in mitigating factors like early warning systems, fire alarm systems, and teaching the staff to recognise an incident and also what to do when an incident occurs.”
Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard speaking to reporters.
A major issue faced by firefighters tackling the Builder’s Value Mart warehouse blaze was the lack of water in nearby hydrants. This forced the BFS to request assistance from the Barbados Water Authority, who provided a water tanker and personnel. While a disaster was averted, the lack of water in the hydrants, some close to Baxter’s Road, amplified the concerns about fire safety in the area.
“We have to do investigations to see if these hydrants are on an abandoned main, because although they are dry, they are in Reed Street, but some of the ones in Reed Street also have water,” Maynard explained.
MP for the City of Bridgetown, Corey Lane, visited the scene and highlighted ongoing efforts to improve fire safety education in the community. He stressed the importance of residents and business owners knowing how to minimise damage in case of fires, particularly given the close-knit nature of the neighbourhood.
Fire officers had some difficulty getting water in the area after two hydrants were found to be dry.
Damage to neighbouring properties was minimal, though one home on the western side of the warehouse sustained minor roof damage, which was promptly addressed by the firefighters.
Asha Ram Mirchandani, the owner of Builder’s Value Mart, expressed distress over the incident but remained optimistic about recovery. “The bond only was [damaged], the main building is still here,” Mirchandani said. “God will help us.”
Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard (right) speaking to Deputy Chief Fire Officer Henderson Patrick (centre) during the suppression operation at Reed Street.
