The Tribune

BY LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A fast-moving forest fire in Coral Harbour forced residents to protect their homes, consider evacuation, and brace for worsening conditions yesterday as thick smoke and flames spread rapidly through the area, causing widespread traffic disruptions.

Among those affected was 71-year-old Fredrica Munroe, who stood outside with her neighbours anxiously watching the fire approach. She said she first noticed the scent of smoke around 10.30am but didn’t realise how serious the situation was until later.

She said: “I wasn’t really concerned because I thought the fire was like all the way in the back until my daughter who lives in Florida, she called me and she said ‘what’s up with the fire’. I said ‘what fire, I see some smoke’, but when I came closer, there was this big load of smoke.”

She said it was the worst fire she had seen in the area in recent years, far more intense than the one that occurred last year.

According to Superintendent Demeris Armbrister, the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s chief fire officer, authorities were alerted to the fire east of the Coral Harbour roundabout shortly after 11am. Firefighters responded quickly, but strong winds helped the flames spread into the nearby wellfields, making it difficult to reach the blaze.

“At this point, it’s hundreds of feet into the wellfields. It’s at a point where we’re unable to reach it at this time,” Supt Armbrister said. He added that crews would remain on the scene until the fire was fully contained.

When The Tribune visited the scene, some residents were seen moving pets to safety, while others used garden hoses to wet their fences and clear debris. Among them was Pastor Ryan Bethel of Family Life Kingdom Centre, who has dealt with similar fires in the past.

“The last one, our fence which is attached to the building caught on fire where it was so close and what we did this time was make sure we got our backhoes and so this time, it’s on the other side which is further away from the building but still, fire is very trick as it can jump,” Pastor Bethel said.

The fire prompted road closures near the Carmichael Road area, causing heavy traffic across western New Providence. Some residents considered evacuation as a precaution.

“If the smoke go out of control, we’ll have to leave,” said resident Orthnell McKenzie, who had just finished helping two neighbours extinguish fires near their homes. “You could get the sinus problem and you could get the flu problem and all the rest of that.”

Mr McKenzie said about eight neighbours banded together with buckets of water to control the spread of the fire. He said the community faces this challenge too often and blamed the recurring fires on squatters in the area.

While fire officials could not confirm the cause of the blaze, Supt Armbrister said there was no need for evacuations at this time. “Evacuation as this time is not necessary,” he said. “However, we had to close the roads earlier today due to low visibility but at this time, we have mobile units.”

Keith Carroll, president of the National Fishing Association, said local fishermen monitored the fire closely to ensure their traps and supplies were safe. He said they were fortunate this time.

“God was on our side because the fire just passed about ten feet to the south of our traps and just gone straight down,” he said.

Supt Armbrister said firefighting teams would continue working through the night to bring the fire under control.