Update: A fire broke out at the abandoned family planning building on Bay Street earlier today.
Three fire tenders and a team of 14 officers from the Barbados Fire Service were on the scene battling the blaze.
Divisional Officer Marlon Small, speaking on the scene, confirmed that the blaze had been brought under control and was in the cooling-down phase.
He urged members of the public to respect traffic restrictions in place during active fire scenes. Despite cones and caution tape clearly marking the danger zone, Small noted that several motorists were seen bypassing the barriers, placing both themselves and emergency personnel at risk.
“There is a reason and this evening we saw a lot of motorists by passing those traffic restrictions, and at sometimes place the safety of the officers here working in this hot zone at risk. We want persons to obey traffic restrictions and understand it’s in an effort to ensure that not only are the officers here on the scene working but also general safety for members of the public.”
Small also highlighted a broader concern regarding the fire and others like it: the increasing fire risk associated with unsecured, unoccupied buildings across the island.
He called on Barbadians to be proactive in their communities.
“If you have unoccupied structures in your district and you know the owners, please encourage them to have those buildings properly secured,” Small urged.
Earlier story
The Barbados Fire Service is battling a blaze at the old headquarters of the Barbados Family Planning Association at Bay Street, St Michael.
More details as they come.
