Frustrated firefighters say a sea wall at Prince George Wharf stopped them from getting their hoses into the sea to fight the multi-million dollar blaze, which burned a massive hole in Bay Stree in September 2001.
The lack of water at the scene contributed to the extent of the fire, which spread from the Straw Market to adjoining buildings, destroying the Ministry of Tourism offices and posing a major threat to other properties.
Yet, two years late, the sea wall is still there and nothing has been done to provide access for hoses, despite repeated requests for action from the fire department.
“It is a crazy situation,” a source close to the fire department said yesterday. “It means that if another blaze of that magnitude happened today we would find ourselves in exactly the same situation.”
He added: “Officers have been trying to get the government to punch holes through the wall and also provide wells in the Bay Street area where they could access water. But nothing has been done.”
They fear that another big fire would create exactly the same set of problems they faced before and that a major catastrophe could occur. I understand the Ministry of Works is responsible for this kind of project, but they have doen nothing so far.”
The Tribune
