ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – Fire gutted a restaurant and bar in Treasure Beach, south St Elizabeth on Friday morning leaving the proprietors counting their losses and raising concerns about water woes in the area.

Paolo Del Grande, whose wife Tia, operates the establishment called Code Blue, said the fire burnt out the entire business.

“Everything is to the ground, it is just the four walls left standing. Everything is gone. The fire brigade I don’t know why, but it took a while to get here then there was no water available… on the road in the vicinity of the fire, so they had to take time to go somewhere else and it took about three or four loads to put out the fire,” Del Grande explained.

“When they (firefighters) got to the scene the fire was small, but by the time they got organised the whole building was gone,” Del Grande claimed.

Head of the St Elizabeth Fire Department Superintendent Kimar Brooks said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.

“We got the call at 1:25 am and responded immediately. As we speak the fire investigator is on his way [to the scene] with a team,” said Brooks.

–        Kasey Williams