Have we learnt our lesson?

By Keryn Nelson

Seventy years ago a fired-up coal iron was left unattended in the wooden confines of a tailor’s shop in Castries. Not much remained after the first embers evolved into a roaring blaze that would eventually devour acres. Later there was unsubstantiated talk that the tailor’s iron had been purposefully planted to torch the shop with insurance dollars on the his mind. It was 8 p.m. on Saturday June 19, 1948 when the initial alarm cry had gone out to emergency services but destiny would have its way. Due to a strong southeasterly wind, an ill-prepared fire brigade with elusive command, and an insufficient water supply, the flames were fanned along a vengeful course of destruction. Within hours, four-fifths of the town of Castries had been reduced to ashes. By the time a fire squad from a United States Air Force Base in Vieux Fort arrived and successfully put out the inferno, 809 families—2,293 residents to be exact—were homeless. Fortunately, no lives were lost. Destroyed were the government treasury, the court building, post office, printery, Carnegie Library and commercial buildings. One week after what early reports had referred to as “the greatest calamity to befall a colony of its size and resources in so short a time”, attempts to resume business began.

The local government, along with administrators of neighbouring islands and far away countries, offered assistance. Those with the means soon started to rebuild their homes. Some were rehoused in the ‘CDC’ buildings in Castries. Others found shelter wherever they could.

It’s been 70 years since the oft-cited 1948 Castries fire. But are we better placed today to handle a similar occurrence?

It was not the first time fire had brought down Castries. There had been earlier fires in 1796, 1805, 1813 and 1927. Then there were the fires of 1951, 1959 and 1960. It’s the fire of 1948, however, that is most often cited by local historians and purveyors of local folklore, possibly because of the extent of damage it wreaked . . . or maybe for lack of reliable information about the earlier disasters.

This year, the fire’s anniversary was commemorated with an exhibition by the Saint Lucia National Trust at the Castries City Council on Peynier Street. Derek Walcott’s “A City’s Death By Fire” and visual art pieces from local artists, teachers and students were put on display, along with photographs of a Castries built mostly with timber.

Now, Castries still stands in its rightful place. The wooden panels which had burned to the ground years ago have been replaced with concrete, while the buildings still hug one another, nearly spilling over onto sidewalks. On the outskirts of the capital, in La Clery, CDC buildings will soon be demolished, to the dismay of a few residents although plans for redevelopment are several years old. In central Castries, however, those CDC buildings remain almost as they were when constructed years ago except that now, in some places, they are blackened with mildew.

As for the fire-prone city, Saint Lucia’s Fire Service Department personnel say that in terms of preparedness, things could be a lot better. The upside: there are fire hydrants throughout the city; regulations are in place for commercial buildings and regular checks are conducted to ensure full compliance. Most of the city’s infrastructure has been built with concrete instead of highly flammable timber, and drywall, known for its high level fire resistance, is becoming more common for building interiors.

The downside outweighs the good, however: no regulations exist for residents in the city and so, despite the close proximity of homes and buildings, it is left to individuals to ensure emergency exit and entry points remain clear and that fire-resistant doors remain closed so as to contain flames. While hydrants dot the city and an underground, sea-water supply is available in certain areas, the fire department says, hydrants depend on availability of water from WASCO’s main pipelines; a dicey proposition. God lend a hand should a fire occur simultaneously with a water shortage!

The Fire Service Department’s equipment is in dire need of some TLC. The department’s allocated budget, which seems annually to decrease, cannot cover the required upgrades. The Fire Prevention Divisional Officer, George Victorin, says many hoses, trucks, ambulance vans, ladders and the like, are nearing the end of their lifespan. It appears that firefighters, whom the divisional officer says are well trained to work under difficult circumstances, are left to rely more and more on Lady Luck. So far so good, but the lady has often shown a fickle streak!