Three of six firefighters in serious condition after being electrocuted

By Nakinskie Robinson   

 

Commissioner of the Jamaica Fire Brigade Stewart Beckford says Tuesday morning's incident which saw six firefighters being electrocuted, indicates the dangers of the profession.

 

The firefighters were electrocuted while responding to a call that multiple buildings were on fire at Seventh Street in Greenwich Town, St. Andrew about 2:17 a.m.

 

Three of the firefighters are considered to be in serious condition, but their injuries are not life threatening.

 

Commissioner Beckford said the men are expected to make a full recovery.

 

"They have slight burns on parts of their bodies. I don't want to get into too much detail in terms of the nature of their injuries because the doctors are still monitoring them. We are in close contact with the doctors at the hospital," he told Radio Jamaica News. 

 

He said the incident brings to light concerns about the practice of electricity theft. 

 

"We generally buy gears that are made to withstand certain voltage and all three were appropriately attired on the scene. They were wearing their helmets, their gloves, bunker gear, and of course they would have been wearing their fire boots. So they were well insulated, but nevertheless, these things do happen. There are times when, in conducting actual firefighting operation, you cannot pick up on these electric wires, especially at nights. And that is what would have happened to all three this morning."

 

Commissioner Beckford said the fire is suspected to have been caused by an illegal connection. 

 

"I want to make a special plea to householders and Jamaicans generally, that when you do these things, not only does it poses (sic) a threat to your property, because in this particular case, we suspect that the cause of the fire - we have not confirmed that yet, investigations are ongoing - could have been due to an electrical short circuit.... And of course, it poses a danger to our firefighters as well, because we could have lost, easily, three firefighters this morning," he lamented.