Fire ravages family-owned eatery

A shop owner in Eagle Hall is devastated after a Sunday afternoon fire engulfed one of the businesses on his property and caused significant damage to two others.

The fire, which started shortly after 3 p.m., apparently began at an eatery at the back of the site near the busy junction. People nearby quickly responded with hoses and buckets to help contain the blaze until firefighters arrived and brought it under control.

Property owner Frank Daley said he is uncertain about how to move forward after the site that was once his family’s shop for decades, almost went up in flames.

Father and son, Frank and Ahkeem Daley observe the fire officers working to contain the fire that almost destroyed their family property. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

Father and son, Frank and Ahkeem Daley observe the fire officers working to contain the fire that almost destroyed their family property. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

“The place is insured, so I’m not even concerned about that part, but this is a legacy that I’ve been trying to continue from my father. So to come back here today and see this, it wasn’t easy and I don’t know what next is my biggest issue.”

Daley told Barbados TODAY he would seek guidance on the next steps to move forward following the fire, which affected three businesses on his property.

His son, Ahkeem, said they rushed to the scene after receiving calls about the fire, “We saw mainly the back of the shop on fire, the good thing is that it didn’t catch on the two sides of the shop but it’s mainly the back and the middle of the shop that caught fire.”

He said it was reassuring to see people in the area helping to contain the blaze.

“Fire department apparently didn’t have enough water to deal with it for a while…a lot of the neighbours were already on the roof trying to put it out, trying to pull off some of the roof to get out some of the heat from the fire. When we got here it was a good thing to see…they kept it under control.”

The younger Daley said he was relieved the situation was not worse and that the property could be restored.

Father and son recalled growing up in the shop, a bar and grocery that was started by Frank Daley’s mother, “I am 58 and I actually raised up in here. So this establishment will be 60-something years old.”

Station Officer Damian Bayne told reporters at the scene on Eagle Hall Main Road that the fire service received a call at approximately 3:46 p.m. on Sunday.

Station Officer Damian Bayne. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

He said: “We responded with two water tenders from the Bridgetown Port Fire Station and the Bridgetown Fire Station, a total of ten officers responded to the call.

“Upon arrival we found the shop engulfed in smoke and we were able to bring the fire under control, limiting transference to the adjacent structures within the area.”

Bayne confirmed that low water pressure in the area prevented firefighters from putting out the blaze during the initial stages.

Barbados Fire Service tenders and Barbados Water Authority water tankers were on scene to contain the fire. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

“We were ably assisted by the Barbados Water Authority with four tankers.”

No civilians or officers were injured in Sunday’s fire, he added.
(LG)