Cedros fire causes renewed appeals for station

CHAIRMAN of the Siparia Regional Corporation (SRC) Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh is calling on National Security Minister Stuart Young to immediately established an emergency fire response in Cedros.

His request follows a fire in the district on Friday night in which a family’s $1 million home, including four vehicles, were totally destroyed.

There is no fire service in the area and the Point Fortin Fire Station does not have the requisite appliance to combat a blaze. Promises were made by MP Edumnd Dillon when he held the National Security portfolio for a new fire station in Point Fortin and earlier this year, Young, who succeeded Dillon endorsed the promise, which has not materialised.

A team from the Siparia district responded to Friday’s fire, but it was too late to save the home of Steve Joseph and his wife Shirley Charles at Belle Vue Trace.

Joseph, 57, an employee of the SRC, said he used a garden hose as he waited on the fire service to arrive, but it was insufficient to battle the flames. He said he lost everything he owned, but was thankful his family were unharmed..

Ramadharsingh said it would have taken the Siparia fire officers between one and a half to two hours to get to Cedros.

“You cannot have a situation where people are depending on an emergency service that would take that length of time. It is unfair to the people on the edge, on the end of the south west peninsula not to have the protection and safety of mind and security of mind if there is a fire that is engaging a house or a property or properties, that there will be an immediate response.”

He called on Young for swift action, “to put a first responder appliance in the Cedros area, through a sub station or some kind of emergency response system, at least with fires.

“So that the people can really engage in rural development and rural empowerment that was talked about on the political platform and which is at the centre piece of this government.”

Ramadharsingh lamented that the family’s entire fortune was wiped out and while the corporation was able to provide some support, “it was minuscule.

“What has to be done is that the system has to be put in place where an emergency is attended to within the community of Cedros.”

He supported the call of councillor for the area, Shankar Teelucksingh, who earlier moved a motion for the establishment of a fire station in Cedros. Teelucksingh said the motion was passed but no action followed. He said for over seven years, the 10,000 people in Cedros have been agitating for a station after several devastating fires in the district.

Ramadharsingh said this is rural neglect as he supported Teelucksing’s call.

“I support councillor Teelucksingh’s call and the motion that he moved and call upon the National Security Minister to immediately ensure rural empowerment and true rural development in Cedros.