Probe under way to determine cause of fire at JPS storage facility
A major probe is now under way to determine the cause of a massive fire at a Jamaica Public Service (JPS) storage facility on Washington Boulevard in St Andrew in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The fire, which started sometime between 2:00 and 3:00 am, took fire fighters more than four hours to put it out.
The JPS later told the Jamaica Observer that the full extent of the damage had not been ascertained as the investigation was ongoing.
The company has also reported that no buildings were damaged, however, the Observer has seen images of several badly burnt pieces of equipment and at least one heavy-duty vehicle appeared to have been destroyed by the fire on the premises which also houses the state-owned National Energy Solutions Ltd.
Observer sources have alleged that the firefighters had difficulty putting out the blaze as they arrived on the scene without foam.
Fire units from York Park, Trench Town, Port Royal, Rollington Town and Half-Way-Tree fire stations and a water pumper from York Park were initially used to battle the blaze.
“The problem was there was no foam on the compound so the firefighters had to go back for some before the JPS finally come with a bucket,” one source told the Observer.
But in response, the JPS said there is no requirement for foam to be stored at that facility. The company indicated that it sourced a significant quantity of foam from one of its power plants, where it is required to be stored, to assist the firefighters.
“And you know is nuff transformers in here and them have oil and everything so the firemen needed the foam,” added the source, as a cloud of smoke blanketed communities near the premises after six yesterday morning.
Residents of some of the neighbouring communities, including Pembroke Hall, Maverly and Duhaney Park, reported that they heard a loud explosion before the fire started.