Long road ahead for businessman after massive blaze

Standing across from the road from where his thriving auto parts business once stood, Keith Towers, owner and operator of Ketro Trading Company Limited, said he has no other choice except to count his losses and start over after a raging fire destroyed his livelihood yesterday.

“It’s a new beginning man. I am just going to have to start all over once more,” he said. Up to Thursday evening, firefighters were still battling the blaze that started at, and completely destroyed Superior Honda Parts on Hagley Park Road in St Andrew. The Jamaica Fire Brigade is yet to determine the cause of the blaze, but a senior representative said the fire started minutes after 11 a.m. and spread to a few other nearby compounds. Among the establishments affected was Ketro Trading, and Trowers told THE WEEKEND STAR that the fire’s reach surprised him.

“When I saw the smoke, it wasn’t really bad and I didn’t expect it to come over my side, but nevertheless, I started to move out stuff and put them on the sidewalk,” he said.

“The fire brigade came and was trying to out it from my side but they ran out of water almost when they had it under control. A warehouse caught fire and it just took my place down,” he said.

Trowers has been operating his auto parts business on McArthur Avenue since 1995. As he made a video recording of the firefighters during the cooling-down operation , he said he is unable to place an exact figure to his loss, but can confirm that millions of dollars worth of goods were destroyed in the blaze. An alleged eyewitness said he believed that the fire could have been contained if the water pressure in the area was higher.

“Is taxis mi run and when mi see the smoke, mi park up and go look and see say is the Honda place on fire and start help with water. But enough water just wasn’t there. Water pressure low and all the fireman dem run out. Some of the hydrants dem hard to pull because people tief some of the parts off it and when dem finally pull, water pressure low, so the breeze just start show off with the fire and a swing it left and right,” he said.

Several trucks from the National Water Commission as well as those from private companies were observed assisting with the fire department with water supply.

At least two firefighters were injured during the fire and were whisked away for medical assistance.

As the fire roared, a few homeowners were seen puncturing their water tanks as a means of preventing the blaze from spreading to their properties.

“This house belong to my granduncle and he is 95 years old. Him work really hard to build and maintain it. He is not here now so mi just burst him black tank because the fire nah play,” a man said.