Manchester Fire Department stretched by increased bushfires

 

The Manchester Fire Department says it is stretched fighting increased bushfires across the parish arising from persistent dry conditions. 

 

In recent months, the Fire Department says it has been battling fires to several dwellings across the parish, responding to 71 fires in June compared with 61 in May. 

 

In the latest incident, fire destroyed the upper floor of a two-storey building housing 11 apartments in Hibernia near Devon on Friday. 

 

Superintendent Emrick Needham, head of the Manchester Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, said that blaze left five people homeless. 

 

Superintendent Needham, noting the ongoing water shortage across the island, is urging households to exercise caution following a spike in bushfires. 

 

He says the Fire Brigade responded to 20 more bushfires in June compared with May. 

 

"We have 49 bush when compared to 29 in May, 10 rubbish and dump when compared to 14...in May. A number of the calls are careless use of fire and there are some that are still undetermined based on the property that was destroyed. These property are sometimes constructed of board and zinc, and most times most of the evidence would have been destroyed. Though we called the fire investigators, [the incidents] still amount to undetermined," he explained.