Residents left homeless after fire guts Spanish Town tenement yard

Flames ripped through a section of Spanish Town, St Catherine on Monday afternoon, leaving several residents counting their losses after a tenement yard went up in flames and was reduced to a charred shell.

The blaze, which occurred along Nugent Street and Old Market Street, gutted a three tenement shop and dwelling, displacing a number of occupants and destroying their belongings.

According to Assistant Superintendent Nigel Cox of the St Catherine Fire Department, firefighters responded quickly after receiving reports of the blaze.

"We came having received the call and set in motion our operation. The fire was brought under control. So far there is no loss of life and we continue to monitor the situation," Cox said.

Residents who occupied the damaged structures told The STAR that the fire caused them significant financial losses as many of their possessions were destroyed in the blaze.

Reports are that about 1:00 p.m. on March 9, an occupant noticed smoke coming from one of the old structures. Moments later, flames were seen coming from a section of the building.

The fire quickly spread through other parts of the premises, leaving the buildings badly damaged before firefighters managed to bring the situation under control.

Authorities say the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

It is also understood that the buildings were not insured.

- Rasbert Turner

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