Barbados Ablaze
"FIRE, FIRE in yuh wire, wire'' - so sang Tobago's Calypso Rose, to enthusiastic response in the late 1960s. But today in Barbados, with fires seemingly here, there and everywhere in recent weeks, such a refrain would be nothing but a set of sour notes.
So sour that a senior fire officer is calling for the return of the fire patrol in Barbados. Station Officer Evans Morris of the Barbados Fire Service said this was necessary, given the high number of grass fires.
"I would like to see the police and Barbados Defence Force do fire patrols again to curb the numbers of fires we are having. "In the 70s and 80s the patrol was used mainly during the crop season to protect sugar cane [from would-be arsonists]," he said.
Morris added that in his 37 years in the service, this year was one of the worst he had seen in a long time as far as fires were concerned. He spoke to the SATURDAY SUN on Thursday at the scene of a fire, a house fire this time, in South District, St George.
"I didn't leave anything on the stove," a distressed Deann Moseley said, "and there was nothing to burn . . . If somebody is starting these fires, then they need to stop because they are playing with people's lives."
Even as Moseley cried and Morris spoke, three brush fires could be seen burning in the distance. Barbados was burning again!
At Ellerton, also in the same parish, another piece of Barbados - a 20-acre field - went up in smoke. Fire officers simply waited this one out, fearing that if they doused the fire and left, someone might reignite it. It was also a water-saving measure.
Residents said the fire started in a small area and a barebacked man was seen riding away on a bicycle. Someone, who is burning down Barbados?
During the past week, one of the most extensive grass fires affected a large area at Waterford Bottom. The determined efforts of firemen helped to stop it from destroying a nearby bee farm.
Rudolph Gibson, the beekeeper, was on edge since he had lost about 90 hives from his biggest bee farm in St Lawrence after it was affected by fire. "I already lost a lot of hives. One hive carries between 25 000 and 30 000 bees," said Gibson.
So Barbados continues to burn, as reports suggest that many of the fires are being deliberately set. Some among us are apparently blazing the wrong trail. And Station Officer Morris feels we can catch them or at least thwart them. (CA/ES)
Source: www.nationnews.com
So sour that a senior fire officer is calling for the return of the fire patrol in Barbados. Station Officer Evans Morris of the Barbados Fire Service said this was necessary, given the high number of grass fires.
"I would like to see the police and Barbados Defence Force do fire patrols again to curb the numbers of fires we are having. "In the 70s and 80s the patrol was used mainly during the crop season to protect sugar cane [from would-be arsonists]," he said.
Morris added that in his 37 years in the service, this year was one of the worst he had seen in a long time as far as fires were concerned. He spoke to the SATURDAY SUN on Thursday at the scene of a fire, a house fire this time, in South District, St George.
"I didn't leave anything on the stove," a distressed Deann Moseley said, "and there was nothing to burn . . . If somebody is starting these fires, then they need to stop because they are playing with people's lives."
Even as Moseley cried and Morris spoke, three brush fires could be seen burning in the distance. Barbados was burning again!
At Ellerton, also in the same parish, another piece of Barbados - a 20-acre field - went up in smoke. Fire officers simply waited this one out, fearing that if they doused the fire and left, someone might reignite it. It was also a water-saving measure.
Residents said the fire started in a small area and a barebacked man was seen riding away on a bicycle. Someone, who is burning down Barbados?
During the past week, one of the most extensive grass fires affected a large area at Waterford Bottom. The determined efforts of firemen helped to stop it from destroying a nearby bee farm.
Rudolph Gibson, the beekeeper, was on edge since he had lost about 90 hives from his biggest bee farm in St Lawrence after it was affected by fire. "I already lost a lot of hives. One hive carries between 25 000 and 30 000 bees," said Gibson.
So Barbados continues to burn, as reports suggest that many of the fires are being deliberately set. Some among us are apparently blazing the wrong trail. And Station Officer Morris feels we can catch them or at least thwart them. (CA/ES)
Source: www.nationnews.com
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