A FARMER suspects arson after sustaining losses of between $40 000 and $60 000 in a fire early Monday morning.
It was the first of two fires in St Philip in three days at businesses near to each other.
Around 4:45 a.m. on Monday, a storage facility at Paradise Vegetables in Duncans, containing pesticides and spraying equipment, seed packages, refrigerators and other farming equipment and supplies, went up in flames.
Owner of the container, Jimmie Davis, who operates on the Ruby Plantation land lease project, also lost a water tank.
He told the DAILY NATION he suspected arson as he recently heard stories from farmers about thieves breaking into their storage facilities.
He said this setback would impact his ability to supply produce, as he no longer had any materials necessary for tending to his crops planted at Union, Ruby and River plantation.
Meanwhile, at Jezreel, Sandford, about 700 metres away from Duncans, a fire broke out around 2:40 a.m. yesterday at Smart Kitchen and Island Countertop, which share a factory.
Smart Kitchen manager Andrew Wilson said they sustained damage, but he did not elaborate.
“This happened at a bad time of the year and right now we can just think about our staff,” he said.
Wilson said he and other staff members would clean the factory today and complete outstanding orders.
Police are probing. (SB)
