'It's a nightmare'... Massive fire at Facey Commodity

Damion Mitchell/Integration Editor

Several firefighters are now battling a massive blaze at the Newport West outfit of Facey Commodity Limited in Kingston.

The fire began around 8 o'clock and quickly engulfed the warehouse before igniting a mighty inferno at the section that houses the administrative offices.

As fire engines raced to the location, explosions rang off inside the burning furnace and thick black smoke merged with the night sky.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed one woman who said she was an employee, her phone in hand capturing video footage of the disaster.

Nearby, Seprod Group CEO Richard Pandohie and his chief financial officer Damion Dodd gazed at the building now 50 per cent in flames.

Pandohie, said it was way too early to estimate the loss but noted that it was very clear that the fire was a big setback.

"It's like a nightmare, to be honest," he said, adding that the disaster has struck at a time when the distributive trade is grappling with logistical challenges.

Pandohie has vowed to recover quickly but said it was undoubted supply will be affected.

Like some employees who turned up to see the disaster, the Seprod boss said he was worried about the prospects come Monday morning.

Pandohie said the subsidiary employs about 400 staff with around 150 working at the physical location which spans 50,000 square feet.

He said Facey is grateful that other warehouses and the factories located elsewhere remain operational.

Work is also underway to complete a new warehouse by March 2022.

Meanwhile, amid the rush to the fiery location, employees scurried to remove company vehicles to safety and Jamaica Public Service Company workmen disconnected power supplies.

However, it took some time before firefighters began spraying foam on the blaze.

Soon after, they seemingly changed their approach and began monitoring the perimeter of the building and other unscathed areas in a bid to prevent a further spread.

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