It took 12 fire officers an hour to put out a fire at a Hannahs Estate house on June 8, after a 20-pound gas cylinder exploded, collapsing parts of the building, officials said.
The fire caused an estimated $70,000 in damage to the house, according to a press release from the Ministry of Communications and Works. A preliminary investigation indicated that the fire was “possibly accidental,” according to the statement.
It was the sixth structure fire of the year, Deputy Chief Fire Officer William Penn told the Beacon, adding that the Virgin Islands saw nine such fires in 2010. The Fire and Rescue Services Department hopes to have fewer fires this year, he said.
See the June 16, 2011 edition for full coverage.