Tuesday, September 10, 2024

4 THE STAR NEWS • Tuesday, September 10, 2024 @JamaicaStar www.facebook.com/JamaicaStar • www.jamaica-star.com TIFFANY PRYCE STAR Writer R egistrar of the University of Technology (UTech), Marion Brown, has assured students affected by yesterday’s fire at a student housing complex will have somewhere to lay their heads. The blaze, which began about 9:30 a.m. on University Crescent, left some students with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and their laptops that they scampered to save, while others were unable to save any of their belongings. According to eyewitness reports, the fire was first detected by an international student who heard popping sounds near her room. The student, who was overwhelmed with emotion, expressed her distress over the incident having only saved some of her documents and devices. “We are committed to providing support and arranging alternative accommodations for the affected students,” said Brown, who, along with the students services team, was on site in the aftermath of the blaze to offer support and coordinate assistance. Students believe that the fire may have originated from the solar panels installed on the building, that may have overheated. However, Senior Superintendent of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, Patrick Gooden, said the fire’s cause was still unknown. “Our focus now shifts to determining the cause of the fire, which remains under investigation. Fortunately, no lives were lost, but 18 students have been displaced. The damage is extensive.” Firefighters managed to retrieve a few electronic devices from rooms at the rear of the building, where the fire had not yet fully penetrated. Gooden confirmed that three fire units responded to the emergency, one from York Park and two from Half-Way Tree. The first unit’s quick assessment led to the deployment of additional resources to contain the fire and prevent further damage. One student, who managed to save only a single book from her bag, lamented her situation, unsure of the full extent of her losses. “I’m just hoping that my laptop and documents might still be intact, based on where my room is,” she said tearfully. Another student said he was so frightened “mi just mek peace with the fact seh everything gone.” In the aftermath of the incident, students were transported to the UTech campus for counselling services. “It’s a relief that the fire occurred during the day when most students were away. It could have been much worse if it had happened at night,” one student reflected. The fire started about 9:30 p.m. A ntoine L odge P hotos A member of the Jamaica Fire Brigade walks through a section of the housing complex on University Crescent in St Andrew which was damaged by fire yesterday. Some of the students lost everything in the fire, including clothes and school stuff. The cause of the blaze is still unconfirmed although some students speculate that it may have started because of solar panels. UTech to house displaced students after fire