The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

FIREFIGHTERS were called to a blaze at the Eastern Road home of a former parliamentarian on Tuesday night.

Richard Lightbourn, who served as the Free National Movement MP for Montagu (now renamed Free Town) from 2012 to 2017, said he received a call and headed home immediately.

“Last night there was a fire,” Mr Lightbourn confirmed yesterday. “I’d kept a pile of branches that I was saving and planning to mulch. I don’t know what caused it but it was quite massive. Thankfully the fire trucks got there quickly and put it out and only the roof of the garage was singed. But there was no injury to anyone or serious harm,” he said.

The Eastern Road resident said the garage where the blaze occurred had no electricity “so whether someone threw a cigarette or something I don’t know”.

The fire truck was summoned to the scene around 10pm, according to eyewitnesses and the fire was quickly brought under control.

Mr Lightbourn was one of seven rebel FNM MPs who broke from the party after a vote of no confidence in leader Dr Hubert Minnis.