UNDAUNTED

Despite facing devastating losses amounting to millions, Kediesha Miller, who owned a shop in the fire-ravaged Constant Spring Arcade, remains determined to rebuild her business and ensure that her loyal customers are not left high and dry in the new year.

Without waiting for a full assessment of the damage from Monday morning’s blaze, Miller has set an ambitious goal to reopen her shop within two weeks.

“Mi affi fix it up back. That is my plan right now. I have to start like now because as I said, I have a lot of customers and mi nuh want mi customer base drop because of this. So I have to hurry and fix it so dem can get food in a the new year. By the new year come in, mi afi up by the next week,” Miller told The Gleaner.

Eyewitnesses claim the fire, which started about 8:45 a.m. and consumed two shops while damaging a third, started in Miller’s restaurant and bar.

She strongly believes that it was an act of arson.

“Mi get a call that my shop was burning, and by the time I reach up here, it flat. But I’m telling you, no short circuit nuh in a mi shop or nothing and the gas always lock off. So mi nah ask yuh, is people bun it down,” she said.

Miller, who left the establishment around 6 p.m. on Sunday, had recently experienced theft at her shop, with money stolen from her cash drawer just days before Christmas.

Miller also operates a clothing store at another section of the arcade and said when she received the call, she thought that was the store on fire.

“Mi lose three refrigerators, two stoves, tables, pots, gas cylinders, bar stools, top-shelf liquors like black Hennessy, white Hennessy, Belair and Moët. A the new year, so mi buy up a lot of things and stock up,” she told The Gleaner in between calls from concerned customers and relatives.

She said in her 13 years operating the bar and restaurant, it is the first time she is facing such a setback.

“I’m telling you, this restaurant is going on well ... . Mi get the support from people in the stores around, passport office, one and two [vendors in the arcade] would also buy, but I know is someone burn it down,” she said.

The other vendors told The Gleaner that the arcade has water issue and there is no hydrant.

“Yes, there is a water issue that is why I have a tank,” Miller said, pointing to what was left of the burnt tank.

Another vendor bemoaned the lack of water despite the collection of rent.

“Dem need to do better because more shops could burn and there is no water. The firefighters had to rely on an extra tanker (water truck),” an elderly vendor said.

Miller also expressed disappointment that no one had called the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) when the fire started.

“One of the firefighters tell mi that is pass him passing and see the fire,” Miller said.

A workman who was doing some renovations on a nearby shop said he smelt smoke and started to look.

A preliminary estimate of the damage stood at $10 million on Monday.

The St Andrew Central police and the JFB are investigating the fire.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com