Bahamas News

A fire at the plaza on ‘top of the hill Mackey Street completely wiped out five reputable businesses Saturday morning but left one barely touched and open for business today.

Super Value food store stood unyielding, as fire officials worked round the clock to extinguish the blaze that obliterated its neighbouring businesses. Fashion Hall, Discount Mart, Paint Place, Ad Works and Sun Manufacturing Factory all went up in flames over the weekend, and based on the extent of damage, officials report that such businesses may have to start from scratch to get up and running again.

Officials arrived on the scene shortly after receiving a call at 11:15 that morning, that the popular shopping plaza was engulfed in smoke. The Discount Mart manager said that it started out as just a regular working day before the ruinous fire occurred.

“The lady from [Sun Manufacturing Factory] came in the store and said there was a fire,” described the Manager. “Looking around we couldn’t see, so we went out front and we could see it. Then we advised customers to leave the store.”

Proprietor of the Discount Mart and the Super Value food store, Rupert Roberts, disclosed that the fire evacuation plan, a monthly topic in managerial meetings, was a success, as there were no injured people in either of his stores.

“The customers saw smoke and left with the staff and managers,” said Roberts. “The cashiers at Discount Mart even left the money in the registers.”

Except for two fire marshals, one who suffered from smoke inhalation and the other from heat exhaustion, no individuals at any of the locations were injured. Both are now resting comfortably on several days vacation, officials report;

Police Press Liaison Officer Inspector Walter Evans said that the fire appeared to originate in the Discount Mart store, thereafter spreading to the neighbouring businesses.

“Due to the size of the building and the amount of burning on the inside, we had to fight from the outside to preserve Super Value and Book World [at back of the plaza],” said Evans.

Up till yesterday, fire officials like Sergeant Charlton and his 14-man team switched shifts in order to take their turn trying to cool out the hot spots in the burned rubble. Charlton said that although the fire is under control now, he wouldn’t encourage anyone to nose around the place, as the structure could give way at any minute.

However, it’s business as usual at the Super Value food store and owner Roberts intends on having a 25% off sale this week, to keep his usual customers happy under such unpleasing surroundings. One of them, 85-year-old Ruth Dean, revealed how saddened she was to hear about the fire.

“I have been coming here for over 20 years,” said Dean. “I was sorry to hear [about the fire] because this is the only place I shop.”

The Insurance Management representative for Super Value, Dr. Paul Greenway, said that the estimated cost of damage to the building has not been determined as yet.

“It is too early to say,” said Greenway. ” This could have been disastrous.”

An investigation into the origin of the fire is pending.