MARK AMEY is the hero of the Nation Publishing Company today.
It was his quick thinking and action that prevented a fire at the newspaper’s Fontabelle, St Michael plant from becoming a major incident.
It was around 4:45 p.m. yesterday when a piece of card caught fire in the compressor room. Amey, who recognised the danger, along with security officer Kathy Bispham and collector Anthony Best, attempted to put it out with a number of fire extinguishers.
After he ran out thinking it was a fire drill, he went to investigate when he saw smoke billowing from the room.
“There is a junction box behind the room and three filters and some blanket wash which was highly flammable,” he said, as he was congratulated by members of staff who had evacuated the building.
Editor-in-Chief Roy Morris said the small fire had no impact on the production of today’s 80-page bumper Sunday Sun.
“The fire was restricted to a compressor that operated equipment in the press room. Since they operated in triplicate there was no impact on [today’s] publication,” he explained.
He added the plant was equipped with a state-of-the-art fire alarm system, to which staff responded promptly.
“There was never any threat to life or limb,” he said, as he praised the swift response of Barbados Fire Service personnel who arrived in less than five minutes.
It was the second time for the day firemen were praised for their quick response to a fire on Fontabelle. Their first call-out was to Club Rehab.
