Police warn Old Shoes Market fire will be repeated if vendors remain silent
Published:Monday | October 23, 2023 | 6:23 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The St James Police have warned that the incident that led to 54 shops being gutted by fire at the Old Shoes Market arcade is likely to be repeated, if those entrepreneurs who operate in that space refuse to communicate with investigators.
Eron Samuels, the acting senior superintendent of police for the St James Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, told vendors that he was aware that some of the victims of last Sunday’s fire know why they were burned out, but have so far opted to remain silent.
“A lot of you know what transpired. My ears are on the ground, so no matter what we do, if you don’t work with the police it will happen again,” Samuels warned while addressing displaced vendors during a meeting organised by the St James Municipal Corporation inside the Montego Bay Cultural Centre last Friday.
While firefighters have not yet determined the specific cause of the fire that caused significant damage to several shops at the Old Shoes arcade, the St James Fire Brigade has reported that the fire, which is believed to have started about 2:30 on October 15, quickly raced through the facility, which includes clothing and variety stores.
Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire, which was brought under control by firefighters in the parish with assistance from the neighbouring parish of Trelawny.
Fraud warning
Samuels also cautioned against persons who might want to defraud the system by bringing in individuals who have nothing to do with the facility, but who may want to cash in on the assistance being provided to those affected.
He encouraged those affect to get registered with the relevant agencies, as guided by the St James Municipal Corporation, and await the timely and orderly assistance being provided.
“I know that there is a grand plan in place to build a real structure. Persons who are registered to this arcade, please ensure that you don’t allow people who did not lose or are not registered to take that benefit away from you,” the senior police officer cautioned.
Samuels said this was important because, should that happen, it would create chaos.
“And that (wouldn’t) work for me. Me a go vex.”
Further, he warned that persons engaged in the illegal business of prostitution along South Street, where the arcade is located, are not among those who will benefit from government assistance to those negatively impacted by the destructive fire.
“We are only concerned about persons who sell wares and not the person who sells bodies. I don’t want us to go back to that sort of situation where that area is overrun with crime. Anything that we are doing, we want to ensure that it is safe for each and every one of us,” Samuels added.
The arcade consist of 150 wooden shops and, of that number, 54 were completely destroyed in the blaze, including one retrofitted from a metal container.