Approximately 20 derelict cars parked on the compound of the decommissioned Glendairy Prison were destroyed by fire on Sunday morning.
Station Officer Emmerson White of the Barbados Fire Service told Nation News they received the report of a suspected structural fire in the Station Hill, St Michael area around 1:08 p.m.
“On arrival, we recognised there were derelict vehicles involved, approximately 20 by our count,” he said.
A crew of 11 from the Bridgetown Station responded to the scene and brought the blaze under control. The origin of the fire is unknown and investigations are being carried out.
Glendairy Prison was decommissioned in 2016 and later that year, there was a series of some open days which gave Barbadians an opportunity to tour the property.
Since then, the current administration said it was to be converted to a full-fledged tourist attraction. Preliminary work to clean the site started back in September 2021.
“It’s vesting so now they have to do a legal document,” said Minister Dr Williams Duguid at that time. “Vesting doesn’t mean that it just goes from Parliament because from there you have to do a conveyance and it takes time.”
The property was also to be turned over to Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTII). In August 2021, a land resolution was passed in the House of Assembly, approving the vesting of the property for tourism development.
Her Majesty’s Prison Glendairy was opened in 1855, but was damaged by fire in March 2005. Prime Minister Mia Mottley was at the time serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Attorney General in the Owen Arthur administration.
A new prison was opened at Dodds St Philip in 2007. (SAT)
