Fire scare at PriceSmart in Mausica

Customers and staff at PriceSmart in Mausica, were quickly evacuated from the store’s compound during a fire scare on Thursday morning.

The scare was the result of a bush fire which started before 11 am in an empty lot of land east of the building.

As the bush fire quickly spread, large discarded pallet crates on the store’s perimeter caught fire, sending a large plume of thick black smoke into the air.

When Newsday arrived shortly after 11 am, the thick plume of smoke was visible from Maloney, a few minutes away.

Fire officials and an ambulance arrived, but there were no reported injuries or damage to property.

A video of the incident circulated on social media later on Thursday.

Speaking about bush fire since early April, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat cautioned people to apply to the Fire Service for permission to light outdoor fires, extinguish all lit objects before discarding them, and compost leaves, grass and peelings for fertiliser instead of burning them.

As the dry season continues, Rambharat said the Agriculture Ministry stays on the lookout for bush fires and asked people to report any bush fires.