NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fire in Kool Acres on Saturday that resulted in the destruction of a number of homes in a shanty town in that community which were scheduled for demolition.
Eighty percent of the homes in the shanty town were damaged by fire, according to Building Control Officer Craig Delancey.
Police reports indicate that fire services personnel arrived at the location shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday and found multiple wooden structures engulfed in flames. The fire was successfully contained and extinguished; however, the unoccupied structures, which were scheduled for demolition, were completely destroyed. There were no injuries or casualties reported in connection with this incident. The cause of the fire is unknown and investigations continue.
Residents of the Kool Acres and All Saints communities have been ordered to leave those communities as the eviction notice given to them has expired. The Ministry of Works gave those residents a 28-day period to remove all illegal structures by October 30th and will commence demolition today.
Human Rights Bahamas, in a statement last week, warned that the government of The Bahamas faces the potential of triggering a humanitarian crisis if it fails to establish adequate provisions for sheltering and supporting the hundreds of individuals, including numerous children, who are at risk of becoming homeless due to its shanty town eviction policy.
The Unregulated Communities Action Task Force (UCATF) noted that at 10 am Saturday, a comprehensive examination of the area was conducted, ensuring that the site was clear for demolition.
“This process involved removing all persons, hazardous items, and important documents to guarantee the safety of the community,” the Task Force stated, confirming that by 1 pm, the Kool Acres subdivision was officially declared vacant.
“However, shortly thereafter, around 4 pm, Craig Delancy, Buildings Control Officer (BCO Delancy) in the Ministry of Works was notified about a fire within the community. The Fire Services Department of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, immediately dispatched 10 firefighters and three fire trucks to the scene to combat the fire. Upon BCO Delancy’s assessment, it became evident that approximately 80 percent of the community had been severely affected by the fire,” the UCATF stated.
“Superintendent Carey, the Royal Bahamas Police Force representative on the UCATF, immediately returned to the scene and has launched a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident. In addition to addressing the fire, Superintendent Carey has issued a stern warning to any previous residents who are contemplating building illegal structures in other unregulated communities.
“Under section 4(1) of the Buildings Regulation Act Chapter 200, it is an offense to commence any building operations except in accordance with the conditions of a valid building permit and in accordance with the provisions of this Act, any rules, and the Building Code. Any person who acts in contravention of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offense and liable upon summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment,” the statement continued.
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