Chief fire officer on Petit Bourg fire: Bad parking, narrow roads hamper our work

THE day after a fire gutted the home of a Petit Bourg family of ten, chief fire officer Arnold Bristo is calling on the relevant authorities, as well as the public, to address the problems of parking and narrow roadways.

On Monday around 11am, a fire broke out at a house at Church Hill Extension in Petit Bourg, San Juan.

Fire services arrived about an hour later, but owing to the narrow road and the number of cars parked along it, the truck could not reach the house.

Neighbours tried to help, but owing to ongoing water problems in the community, little could be done.

Fire officers had to drive to nearby Irving Street to reach the house, but by the time they got there, it was already gutted.

Family members told Newsday it felt like a nightmare. Only one member of the family – a pregnant woman – was home at the time. She escaped unharmed.

Speaking to Newsday on Tuesday, Bristo said narrow roads and bad parking are issues the service experiences not only in San Juan but also Belmont, Cascade and parts of Maraval, among other areas.

"This makes it difficult and makes it a challenge because of the size of the vehicle."

He said since the water system "in terms of hydrants" can be unpredictable, "Our standard appliance would normally need the bulk carriers to support them. They must be able to access these routes.

"In yesterday's (Monday's) case, the appliance (bulk tanker) had to stay down the hill, and the (other) vehicle, rather than being able to come close to (get) the water, had to come back down to reach it. That makes the operation difficult."

Asked how he felt, knowing this home could have been saved, he said, "It's unfortunate, but if people are more careful in how they park their vehicle and secure their vehicle, that could have been avoided.

"Even when the truck coming and you hear an appliance, you could come out and move your vehicle. Some people don't."

Asked about this, MP for the area Terrence Deyalsingh told Newsday, "We will work with all agencies to assist with access, especially local government and police."

Family members told Newsday the Land Settlement Agency has visited them and the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation's disaster management unit gave them mattresses.