KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, says that almost all market fires in the past year were caused by illegal electricity connections.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the ‘Local Government Expo,’ held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Wednesday.

“Within the last year, we have experienced more than seven major fires in markets across the country; 99 per cent of those fires were due to electrical short circuits,” McKenzie said. He highlighted two major fires in the Corporate Area earlier this week: one at the Pearnel Charles Arcade downtown and another at the Azan Supercentre warehouse located off Marcus Garvey Drive.

The minister emphasised that the fire at the Pearnel Charles Arcade underscores ongoing concerns about fire safety in markets. He urged municipal corporations to take steps to eliminate illegal electricity connections in these spaces.

He also commended the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) for their swift and effective response to recent incidents.

“This week has been a busy week for the JFB, and it is because of improvements in service and efficiency that they were able to respond in a meaningful way,” McKenzie said.

The minister noted that having adequate resources, including fire trucks, played a critical role in the Brigade’s ability to respond quickly to the emergencies.

— JIS