Morant Bay Urban Centre spared from massive wildfire

The under-construction $6-billion Morant Bay Urban Centre in St Thomas was not affected by a massive wildfire that broke out on a nearby farm on Wednesday, the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) has confirmed.

There have been claims in several social media videos that the fire, which began on an adjacent property, had spread to the urban centre.

However, while confirming that the fire started on the adjacent Springfield Farm property, Sean Martin, deputy commissioner of the JFB, said firefighters took steps to ensure it did not spread to the billion-dollar commercial hub.

“The strategy was to surround it [the fire] and prevent it from getting across there and they managed to do that,” said Martin, who is in charge of fire safety, prevention and investigation.

The blaze was put out by firefighters from the Morant Bay and Yallahs fire stations, with assistance from two water trucks provided by the National Water Commission.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

- Livern Barrett

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