It was a strategy, and not a race of monster trucks.
Chief Fire Officer, Errol Maynard is clearing the air on a video which started to make the rounds on social media Thursday night, depicting a number of large vehicles, including some from the Barbados Fire Service, driving at high speed on the runway of the Grantley Adams International Airport.
Maynard confirmed this morning to Nation News that the trucks lined up and moving down the highway were part of a process of lifting a thick film of volcanic dust off the runway as authorities press ahead with trying to get the facility reopened.
“It was not a race. It was a strategy we came up with,” Maynard stressed when reached on the issue early this morning.
“What we are trying to do, is to get the airport probably opened by today, and the trucks on he runway were trying to get rid of that layer of dust. In the video you can see that it did work as well, as a lot of dust came up from the process.”
The Fire Chief said Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, most of her Cabinet, officials from the Fire Service and contractors hired to help clean up Grantley Adams International Airport were all aware of the project, which was carried out yesterday afternoon.
He did note it was unfortunate, however, that people narrating the video made certain comments which insinuated the vehicles were racing.
The airport was closed last weekend after thousands of pounds of volcanic ash from the La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent, swept across Barbados due to high upper level winds. (BA)
