A video circulating on social media
By Sue-Ann Wayow
A FIRE broke out on Monday evening at one of the buildings near the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and fire officers worked late into the night attempting to extinguish the blaze.
Several people took videos and shared them on social media and one person issued an advisory voice note asking individuals to avoid the area.
The individual said, “For all those who traverse by the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, please be advised that there is a major fire taking place right now in the IDC compound that is between Ispat Junction (Caribbean Ispat Limited) and Universal foods.”
Member of Parliament for Couva South Rudranath Indarsingh told AZPNews.com that he began receiving messages from constituents at around 7.30 pm who expressed concerns over the blaze.
He said while he could not confirm any information in terms of damage or human injury, he was told that the building on fire was a warehouse with a printing supply company.
Indarsingh said the fire raised the question of safety and the close proximity of the industrial estate to residential areas.
“We need to take into consideration the welfare of the residents and what impact it might have on them if there was a chemical explosion. It also raises the question of when last was there an evacuation drill done in the area.”
The MP said he received almost 25 different videos from people in various parts of the constituency on WhatsApp groups including King Village California and Dow Village.
President of the Couva/Pt Lisas Chamber of Industry and Commerce Mukesh Ramsingh told AZPNews.com that while information was still forthcoming, he was relieved that it was not a plant that was on fire because then, the effects would be much worse.
He said on Monday night that he hoped nobody was hurt and that there were no casualties and that the fire officers would have the fire under control.
“Any loss because of a fire would have detrimental effects to business and otherwise,” he said.
