Firefighters fought a blaze at the Insomnia Nightclub on Thursday, but had not yet determined whether it was the work of an arsonist.
No part of the newly renovated nightclub was left untouched by the massive inferno, leaving fire officials saying that this was the largest structural fire of the year and some saying it was definitely the largest since the Straw Market Fire of 2001.
The owner of the nightclub, Beverly Lewis, believes that someone intentionally set the blaze.
Ms. Lewis indicated that she did not have insurance on the building because the adjusters had asked her to make certain changes to the building before providing coverage.
“It’s sad to see a country that would have competitors that would think to do something like this,” Mrs. Lewis claimed, “because they don’t like direct competition; it’s very sad.”
Despite her claim, police said they had not yet determined whether an arsonist started the fire.
According to Director of Fire Services, Assistant Superintendent Jeffery Deleveaux, the fire started from the southern end of the recently renovated building, and quickly worked its way north to the main section of the club.
Mr. Deleveaux said that there were some substances used to create special effects in the club, and they may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
“It was very, very flammable and that posed a serious problem for us because the fire extended very quickly after that substance was ignited,” he said. “But as to what started the fire, it is still unclear at this time.”
It took firefighters about two and a half hours to get the blaze under control.
Mr. Deleveaux described that task of fighting the fire as a difficult one. He said that it was not easy because officers were fighting a fire that was between a tin roof and the floor.
“It posed a serious problem to us because it traveled quickly by way of conduction through the tin roof,” Mr. Deleveaux said. “We almost lost two men on the roof trying to breach the roof.”
According to Mr. Deleveaux, the fire is believed to have started around 6:20 am. He said that an off duty police officer in the area of the nightclub in the early morning hours noticed what appeared to be fire at the rear of the building.
He said the officer quickly notified the authorities who responded immediately, with the first fire truck arriving on the scene three minutes after receiving the call.
As word of the fire spread fire, officials said they took quick action by shutting down and evacuating the nearby Shell Service Station and diverting traffic in the immediate area of the fire as a precautionary measure.
There were seven fire trucks on the scene and 26 firefighters who fought the fire at Insomnia. During that intense blaze, fire department officials called for all off duty fire officers to report to the scene to assist in battling the fire.
After the fire was brought under control, businesses in the area were allowed to open for business and traffic flow returned to normal.
One of two firefighters injured in the ordeal was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment and Red Cross personnel treated the other officer on the scene.
“The officers suffered superficial burns to their arms and back,” Mr. Deleveaux said. “That was from falling tar and some other substance from the interior of the building.”
The incident came as a blow, not only to club owners, but also to promoters of a concert featuring reggae superstar, Bounty Killer, which was scheduled for Friday night.
By: Stephen Gay, The Bahama Journal
