Firefighters tackling massive bush fire in St James
ST JAMES, Jamaica- Firefighters are now working to contain a massive bush fire on a former golf course located in the Ironshore area of St James.
It is reported that on Friday morning, fire was observed on a section of land bordering Whitter Village and areas along Sugar Mill Road in the parish.
The blaze which was reportedly seen from about 9:30am, produced plumes of smoke that blanketed the area impacting the visibility of motorists.
Due to the wind and the dry period being experienced in Jamaica, the fire on the land— which had large swaths of grass— began to spread quickly, threatening a number of buildings in the area.
The Jamaica Fire Brigade said that they have dispatched a team of 14 firefighters who are currently on the scene tackling the blaze. The brigade further reported that it has so far managed to contain the spread of the fire and to avoid property damage.
“The fire was threatening property, it reached the walls of Caribbean Showplace but we managed to get it under control,” one firefighter on the scene stated.
Reports are that the smoke was at one point blowing in the direction of the Sangster International Airport but according to Sharon Hislop-Holt, commercial business development and marketing manager at the entity, there were no major issues reported, however they are monitoring the situation.
“We have no reports of any issues due to that incident of fire. We are aware of it and I know our emergency response services have been in contact with the local Jamaica Fire Brigade and are monitoring the situation,” she stated.