Adrian Frater, News Editor

Firefighters counter a blaze at the Old Shoes Market Arcade in Montego Bay, St James. - Photo by Adrian Frater

WESTERN BUREAU:

A MASSIVE early-morning fire gutted 25 shops at the popular Old Shoes Market Arcade in downtown Montego Bay yesterday causing more than $50 million in damage and leaving several vendors displaced.

"Some 15 of the 200 shops in the arcade were totally destroyed," said Kerold Clarke, president of the vendors' association. "A quick estimate of the damage is about $50 million but had it been the entire arcade, it would have run into billions of dollars," said Clarke.

Huge loss

Reports are that at 3:30 a.m., fire was observed coming from the middle section of the arcade. Several vendors who were asleep in their shops were quickly roused by other sellers, who hastily kicked off doors in mad scramble to save lives and salvage stocks.

"Mi entire shop gone with me over $4 million in stocks," said a distraught Andrea Carey, whose business was not insured. "This is a major blow to me ... . This is a major setback in my life."

Keith Fagan, assistant superin-tendent of the St James Fire Department, said they received the call about the fire at 4 a.m. and promptly responded with five fire units and 35 firefighters.

He said when they got to the location, some shops had already been destroyed.

"We were initially hampered by the position of the JPS (Jamaica Public Service) transformer, but we found a way around that. We basically were able to bring the situation under control," said Fagan. "We are not yet in a position to determine the cause of the fire but like the vendors said, the damage appears to be well over $40 million."

"This is the kind of blow that would break anybody's spirit," said Terry-Ann 'Mampy' Harvey whose shop, which was recently stocked with clothing and shoes, among other items, was com-pletely gutted. "Right now, I am confused ... . A thousand things are going through my mind one time."

Major setback

Henry McCurdy, the People's National Party (PNP) caretaker for North West St James, who was among scores of persons assisting shop owners to salvage their goods, described the fire as devastating and called for urgent assistance for the affected persons.

"This is a major setback for these persons and I do hope the authorities will move quickly to assist them in putting their lives back together," said McCurdy. "I will be using all my contacts to see how I can get them some assistance."

In a gesture of appreciation, the vendors' association president praised the firefighters, the police and others who assisted the affected business persons.

adrian.frater@gleanerjm.com