The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

SMOKE from a bush fire at the former Gaza shanty town site drifted across north Abaco yesterday as volunteer firefighters struggled to contain flames residents say have become a recurring hazard since the area was demolished nearly two years ago.

The blaze began Friday along SC Bootle Highway and spread north toward Kipco Road, reaching the vicinity of Little Al and Bodie’s Junkyard as winds pushed thick grey smoke across nearby communities. Videos circulating online showed volunteers working through smouldering wreckage and abandoned vehicles.

The site was cleared of more than 60 structures in February 2024, but debris and hundreds of derelict cars remain. Residents say repeated fires now force them to breathe fumes and live with constant flare-ups.

Roscoe Thompson, chairman of the Marsh Harbour/Spring City Township, said volunteers had difficulty accessing the blaze because of poor service roads and the absence of heavy equipment.

“Central government did the demolition exercise for the shanty town,” Mr Thompson said. “ With that being said, they never cleaned up everything they’ve knocked down from close to two years ago. So it’s just been a natural hazard and people keep setting it on fire there, dumping there garbage there and setting it on fire. And it seems that the Minister responsible just doesn’t want to address that.”

He said requests to local government for machinery had not produced assistance and blamed continued burning of dumped debris for the fire’s persistence.

“We’ve warned them about keeping their areas clean and having a fire break at 60 to 80 ft wide and maintained and that’s for everyone,” he said. “Not just business owners that have the junkyards but for central government to keep a fire break near the main road near Kipco. And hopefully the residents had heeded the warning over the years but some don’t and some do.”

Fires have repeatedly broken out at the site since the demolition. After another outbreak in December, Central Abaco fire chief Danny Sawyer warned the location had become a “regular dump site” and remained a safety concern.

Mr Sawyer said Sunday the latest blaze had burned for four days and spread into a derelict vehicle compound. He also said requests for heavy equipment had not been answered.

Bush fires are common in Abaco’s dry season, but residents say the abandoned debris field has turned a seasonal threat into a chronic one.