Firefighters responded swiftly to a devastating blaze that erupted in St. Johnston’s Village on Monday morning, destroying two wooden houses and damaging a third.
The fire, which broke out around 11:23 a.m. near the Nazarene Church, left three families displaced. Fortunately, no occupants were in the two homes that were completely destroyed.
According to Sergeant Yohann Johnson of the S John’s Fire Department, the fire affected three structures, two measuring approximately 27 by 15 feet and 27 by 17 feet.
Firefighters arrived on the scene within three to five minutes of receiving the call and immediately began battling the flames.
Due to the homes still being connected to the electrical grid, the Antigua and Barbuda Public Utilities Authority (APUA) was forced to cut power in parts of St. John’s. This resulted in an unscheduled power outage that briefly interrupted the sitting of Parliament’s Lower House.
At this stage, officials have not determined the cause of the fire, and investigations are ongoing.
Observer media was on the scene, where Zandra Martin, the owner of one of the destroyed homes, expressed her devastation. However, she remained composed, stating her intent to rebuild and move forward despite the loss.
Sergeant Johnson confirmed that the investigation remains active, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
