A massive overnight fire has destroyed a commercial building in Bois d’Orange, Gros Islet, leaving several businesses, including Computer World and the Environmental Health Department, severely impacted after firefighters battled the blaze for nearly 12 hours.
The Saint Lucia Fire and Emergency Services responded to the emergency shortly before 9:00 p.m. on Friday, dispatching units from multiple stations as the fire rapidly intensified.
Divisional Officer Anwar Deterville said crews from the Castries, Gros Islet and Babonneau fire stations were initially mobilised to the scene, but firefighters faced significant challenges in accessing the fire as it spread throughout the structure.
Providing details on the initial response, Deterville explained that the call was received shortly after 8:00 p.m. “The original call came in around 8:54 last Friday evening,” he said. “We did have difficulty accessing the fire, but the fire unfortunately spread and we were unable to contain it, which is why the building is currently in the state that it is.”
As the blaze intensified, additional support was requested from the George F. L. Charles Airport Fire Unit to assist in bringing the fire under control.
Firefighters remained on the scene throughout the night working to suppress lingering hotspots and prevent the flames from spreading to nearby properties. According to Deterville, the lengthy operation required careful coordination and rotation of crews due to the demanding conditions. “We’ve been here almost 12 hours nonstop,” he said. “We did put in a rotation for the crews, so while some were resting, others continued the operations.”
Water supply also posed a challenge during the response, as hydrants were located some distance from the burning structure. Deterville explained that this required firefighters to continuously shuttle water to the scene.
“In terms of water, we always have issues,” he said. “WASCO came to assist, but the hydrants were a distance away from the scene, which meant we had to keep trucking water every time the trucks were exhausted.”
Firefighters also assessed nearby natural water sources, but these proved inadequate.
“The river was not deep enough and did not have sufficient water,” he added.
Preliminary reports indicate that the fire may have originated in the section of the building housing Computer World, although the exact cause has not yet been determined. It has been alleged that lithium batteries and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) backup systems stored inside the business may have contributed to the intensity of the blaze, but officials stress that this has not yet been confirmed.
Authorities say a formal investigation will be conducted to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but the building has been left severely compromised, with several businesses suffering significant losses.
