The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 50-YEAR-OLD man is to face court today in connection with the fire that ripped through a dormitory at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute in Andros last month.

Police announced late last night that the suspect is expected to be formally charged in the arson case. The police did not identify him last night.

The news comes after engineers advised the government that the BAMSI dormitory is “salvageable”, according to Agriculture and Marine Science Minister V Alfred Gray.

He told The Tribune on Friday that a report from engineers on the building is expected to be handed over by the end of the month, after which he will reveal the details of how the government will address the reconstruction of the building.

As for the police report stemming from investigations into the fire, Mr Gray said he is advised that police officials are “wrapping it up”.

“The engineer’s report has indicated that we will be able to repair the building rather than replace it.” he said. “The top floor is not repairable but most of the bottom floor is. That’s good news as one third of the building will probably be saved.”

Mr Gray said he is not sure of the cost of repairing the building, adding that it “will get to be quantified soon”.

“We have asked the (engineers) to give us their report as soon as possible and I assume that by the end of the month we will be able to go public with information concerning the dorm.”

Flames ravaged the recently constructed male dormitory at the institute on January 15. Preliminary reports from police said it was the result of arson and that the blaze began in the structure’s roof.