KINGSTON, Jamaica — A broken boiler on the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) has been affecting people close to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) laundry, OBSERVER ONLINE has been informed.

It is understood that the problem has led to the office of the UWI Development Endowment Fund (UWIDEF) having to close down its office, situated on Gibraltar Camp Way close to the laundry, to protect its staff from fumes originating from the broken boiler.

Sources told OBSERVER ONLINE that a notice from the National Environment Planning Agency (NEPA) that toxic emissions from the laundry has been affecting people using the area.

The UHWI has not closed down the laundry because of its importance to the operations at the hospital, as well as the fact that a new boiler would cost the hospital some $21 million, which the hospital cannot afford at this time, the source disclosed.

Despite some improvement in the situation since it became evident, some people using the area are insisting that it is a threat to their health, and are demanding that the laundry be closed down until the broken boiler is addressed.

OBSERVER ONLINE was unable to contact chairman of the UHWI, Jimmy Moss Solomon, for a response to these claims.

Balford Henry