The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) has reported a 21.1 per cent increase in the number of commercial building fires that were responded to in 2023, compared to the previous year.
Commercial building fires are among the types of structural fires the JFB responds to in the execution of its duties.
Last year, firefighters responded to 1,645 structural fires, which included 343 commercial fires, 1,195 residential fires, and 107 other types of structures.
Residential fires were greater in number than the other categories of structural fires; however, they showed the least percentage increase – 10.6 per cent.
Speaking in a recent interview, Commissioner, JFB, Stewart Beckford, said the majority of commercial fires were recorded in the townships of Kingston and St Andrew, as well as St Catherine.
“What we noticed in relation to commercial fires, particularly last year, a number of smaller establishments had been affected than the larger ones,” said Beckford.
He noted that each time there is such an incident, people’s livelihoods and lives are disrupted and small companies “tend not to have the wherewithal to get back on their feet within a quick time”.
Beckford further pointed out the importance of installing fire-safety equipment within organisations, noting that small companies may find it difficult to do so because of the associated costs.
“They may look at the outlay in terms of the cost for a fire alarm or a sprinkler system to install in their buildings as onerous, but at the end of the day, it can prevent destruction of your property and even loss of life,” he said.
Owners of small businesses are also being urged to contact the JFB for guidance regarding the installation of safety equipment.
“We are encouraging them to come in, speak with us and we will try to walk them through exactly how we can work with them to make it a possibility to install these fire-safety equipment in their establishments,” the commissioner added.
