RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann -- The resumption of work to complete a section of the Gran Bahia Principe Hotel in this resort town stopped abruptly yesterday because of a fire at the construction site.

However, no one was injured and the fire was not a threat to the resort or its guests.

A building used as a canteen, and which also housed several workers on the site, was destroyed by the fire.

Industrial and domestic gas stoves and refrigerators, as well as beds and air-conditioning units were destroyed in the blaze.

Fire-fighters from the St Ann's Bay and Brown's Town fire stations in St Ann who fought the blaze could not give an estimate of the damage, but said it could run into millions of dollars.

The acting district officer for the St Ann's Bay Fire Station, Evette Scarlet, said when the team arrived the entire board structure was already engulfed. Scarlet said an investigation would be done to determine the cause of the blaze.

There was speculation yesterday that the fire was started by members of a group of angry, protesting job seekers who had gathered outside the gate of the construction site.

However, this was not confirmed by the police and the hotel's management could not be reached for comment.

Protestors reportedly ran when loud explosions were heard and smoke was seen coming from a section of the building about 11:50 am.

One job seeker told the Observer that no work was being provided for people from within the parish at the construction site.

"A pure out-a-town man a work on the site and that can't work; we need people from within the area to get jobs," he said. "From Monday we coming here and can't get no work but man from MoBay and other places (are) on the site," the man claimed.

On Wednesday, job seekers tried to block the entrance to the construction site after they were told that they would not be immediately employed. The police were called and several large stones placed in front of the gate by the job seekers were removed.

Yesterday, the job seekers armed themselves with placards and used their bodies to block the entrance to the work site as they stepped up their demand for employment.