By George Henry, Gleaner WriterSPALDINGS, Clarendon:
FIRE GUTTED an uninsured eight-bedroom dwelling house in Frankfield, Clarendon on Saturday, leaving five families homeless and over $5 million in damage.
But this fire occurred less than a half a mile from the Frankfield Fire Station. Frankfield firefighters were unable to help because they do not have a fire engine at the station.
Jeff Campbell, an occupant of the eight-bedroom Frankfield house, said he was asleep some time after 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, when he was awakened by shouting.
Campbell, who lived on the bottom floor of the two-storey building, said he went outside and saw flames and smoke coming from the top floor. He got his wife to help in taking out all his belongings, while a neighbour called the Frankfield Fire Station.
Mr. Campbell said personnel at the fire station alerted their colleagues over 37 miles away in May Pen for them to put out the blaze.
"The fire truck took too long to come and when it eventually came, all the things were already burnt out," he said.
"To make matters worse, when the truck came, the pump was not working to get the water out and at the same time the tank on the truck had a major leak, so the water ran out."
The lone fire unit that was stationed at Frankfield has been sent to the May Pen Fire Department, to replace the unit there, The Gleaner was reliably informed. The next nearest fire station is in Christiana, some 13 miles away. But there is no fire unit there either, as the unit stationed there has also been relocated.
Jamaica Labour Party caretaker for the area, Michael Stern, and councillor for the Frankfield division, Caleb Lewinson, who were on the scene, called on the Government to correct situation at the Frankfield Fire Station and others across the island.
