Firefighters on scene at a building fire in New Green, Manchester on Friday. (Photo: Kasey Williams)
MANCHESTER, Jamaica— A disabled man was rescued after fire engulfed a house and bar at New Green square in Manchester on Friday.
The man was saved mere minutes before fire ravaged a dwelling where he was.
Another man who identified himself as ‘Bill’ said he rushed to the disabled man’s assistance.
“From me see the smoke, me just go up there and take him out of the house,” he said.
He added that he occupied a section of the building as a tenant where he operated a bar.
“I lost everything. Everything upstairs burn down and it was a board floor, so you know everything upstairs burn and drop downstairs. Downstairs the fire never engulf, but it mash up down there,” the man explained.
Although the business owner is counting his losses he is grateful that no lives were lost and thankful to residents who sprinted into action to control the blaze until firefighters arrived.
Among the residents was a man who identified himself only as ‘Robert’.
“Me up a me yard and see the fire and just touch down and when me come a the square me see the truck a pass and me stop it and same time him a say draw out the hose and start run it and go up a top go gwan out it,” he said.
He pointed out that the disabled man is his cousin.
“A youth did inna the house a sick youth and that’s why you see me run in, because anything can happen to the youth. Me see the smoke and me just shot cross and me a say him in there, so me a try go save him,” said Robert.
He explained that the fire seemed to have started in a back room before spreading through the roof.
Hubert Boucher, a water truck driver was in the area when residents stopped the unit he was driving.
“I was passing and the people stop me and I try to assist them until the fire truck came about 20 minutes after. I saw the fire engulf the upstairs, so I parked the truck and jumped into action,” he said.
District Officer Fitzroy Donaldson said the fire brigade received a call about 2:15 pm.
“Response was made immediately afterwards with four units, there from Mandeville and Christiana came shortly afterwards, so that makes it four units actually,” he said.
“On arrival at the scene we saw that the fire was confined to a commercial building with a residential dwelling,” he added.
The cause and loss resulting from the fire is still under investigation.
Meanwhile, the business owner is appealing for the public’s assistance in getting back on his feet. He said he can be contacted at 876 851-3213.
— Kasey Williams