National

Haitian Village Destroyed in Sunday Afternoon Blaze

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Smoke clouds filling the atmosphere this morning as an early morning blaze engulfed a shanty town on Pink Meadow Road.

Published

1 year ago

February 5, 2023

Megan Shepherd

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Smoke clouds filling the atmosphere this morning as an early morning blaze engulfed a shantytown on Pink Meadow Road, off Bellot Road in the Carmichael Road area. Police Press Liason, Chief Supt. Chrislyn Skippings telling media on the scene that firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 10AM.

Skippings says she understands that over 20 homes were destroyed, leaving over 50 people displaced.

One resident who left to run errands returned to meet everything going up in smoke.

An elderly resident, upset with the firetrucks’ response time, says she only managed to save one bag of her belongings and is unsure how she will start over.

Skippings had this response as it relates to the arrival of the firetrucks. “They responded with three units all of which were full to capacity with water to be able to fight the blaze.”

A 66-year-old of the shantytown says he’s been in The Bahamas for some 46 years now and instantly lost everything in the blaze.

Firefighters also facing challenges battling the blaze as they were only able to access the front of the shantytown. Albert Munnings was visiting a friend in the area when he jumped in to assist.

As illegal immigration and the growth of shantytowns in the country remain heated topics, the question of immigration and documentation was also addressed by Chief Supt. Skippings. She says copies of documentation can be provided by the Department of Immigration to those who previously owned them.