Bajan Fire Fighters Blog

Fifteen people were left homeless this afternoon when fire tore through their Hothersal Turning, St. Michael home just after 4:15. Not even the swift response of the Barbados Fire Service and neighbours could save the wooden structure, which was owned by Jackie Griffith and occupied by her children and their offspring. According to Janelle Griffith, who has lived in the house for all of her 30 years, only her sister Katrina was at home when the blaze started and she was asleep. "We are still trying to figure out what happened," Janelle Griffith said to Barbados TODAY, while pointing out as darkness set in that the family still did not know where they would spend the night. Among those left homeless were: Kimberley Griffith, who will be 23 tomorrow, Katrina, 20, Tasha "Sherry-Ann" Broomes, 25, Sheldeene Applewhaite, 34, and Sherry Murrell, 30 along with children Jerome Blackman, Jakobi, Sheridan, Amari, Kadija and Kayla Murrell and Fabian Griffith. Late this evening ...

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The twenty-three junior fire cadets who graduated from the 10th annual Barbados Fire Service Junior Fire Cadet Programme on Friday evening were encouraged to continue on the path towards becoming skilled firemen and women of the Barbados Fire and Rescue Service. Master of Ceremonies, Roger Bourne, divulged some of the future plans for the programme: “It has been the service’s desire over the years to take these children after they have passed through and bring them back into a structured environment where they can use those skills comfortably for the development of the service. “It has been taking some time but I am sure that some point in the future we will be able to achieve that objective, where we can invite the young ones to come back and perhaps go along with some of the senior fire officers in installing smoke alarms in the houses of elderly persons and other community services,” he stated during an enjoyable and well attended ceremony at the Arch Hall Fire Station in Thomas. He...

A daring daylight robbery at Chicken Galore came to a fiery conclusion on Bank Hall Main Road, St. Michael around 3:20 this afternoon. Depot manager Ingrid Eastmond said a man entered the store and demanded money from the cashier, which he received. However, he immediately lit a piece of cloth in a bottle he was carrying and threw it behind the counter resulting in the store becoming engulfed in flames. This forced staff and customers inside the store to scamper for safety as the fire quickly spread. A visibly shaken employee Wendy Ross, who was in the store at the time, was seated in a car awaiting the arrival of an ambulance, when a Barbados TODAY team arrived on the scene. But up until 5 p.m. the ambulance had not arrived. Meanwhile, other employees stood nearby and watched as firemen worked at extinguishing the blaze. The road was quickly cordoned off by police as traffic began to build with the approach of rush hour and crowds began to gather. One regular customer said she was par...

Firefighters are in the process of interviewing residents in New Orleans in a fire prevention campaign targeted directly at residents of Bridgetown and its environs. This community risk assessment survey of households in and around The City is in preparation for the Fighting Fire With Fire Protection Programme. It is tailored to reduce residential house fires and improve life safety conditions. Members of the Barbados Fire Service Fire Prevention and Community Relations Unit are calling on households daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We are collecting data about fire and other hazards which may exist in these communities, for implementing a strategy to reduce the level of risk, improve life safety and furnish residents with knowledge, tools and equipment,” said Acting Chief Fire Officer Randolph Cox. “They could then respond appropriately to certain incidents while in the initial stages, consequently limiting the chances of outright or total loss in some instances.” The Fire Service and th...

The Ballantyne family at Durants, St James, had one of their biggest shocks yesterday morning when fire broke out in the garage adjoining two homes. Six vehicles belonging to the family’s hired car business were burnt, and family member Rudolph Ballantyne said he estimated the loss at more than $100 000. Proprietor of the business, Bibian Ballantyne, was overseas. His son Rudolph said the cars were being repaired. The fire was brought under control in less than an hour. Acting Divisional Officer at the Arch Hall Fire Station, Glanville Collins, confirmed they responded to the call around 9:12 a.m., with four fire tenders, two from Arch Hall, one from Weston and the other from Bridgetown. Source: www.nationnews.com

Members of the public are encouraged to exercise caution during this busy Crop Over weekend period. As the level of alcohol consumption increases, motorist should be extremely vigilant on our highways. The Barbados Fire Service will be continuing its operational deployment by providing fire/rescue coverage and complimentary stand by (mass crowd events) at the following events; Bridgetown Market, Cohobblopot and Grand Kadooment. Photo compliments: Antonio Beckles