Thursday, September 12, 2024

3 THE STAR NEWS • Thursday, September 12, 2024 @JamaicaStar www.facebook.com/JamaicaStar • www.jamaica-star.com SIMONE MORGAN-LINDO STAR Writer A woman who works in a building close to the Burger King outlet in New Kingston was moved to tears as she described the condition of the injured staff who were caught in an explosion yesterday. She told THE STAR that she was on her way to make a purchase at another restaurant when she heard a loud ‘boom’ and felt a jolt similar to that of an earthquake. “Mi a wonder a what really happen. Next ting mi see di staff dem a come out burn up. The supervisor burn up the most and her skin a drop off a har. Mi feel it to mi heart because mi know say it must a hurt har. Mi and all a di workers dem live good so till when mi go there, mi don’t join line. Mi can’t believe dis really happen,” she said. Senior Superintendent at the Jamaica Fire Brigade Patrick Gooden said the brigade responded to the call at 10:36 a.m. that the building at 61 Knutsford Boulevard was on fire. “On arrival of the unit, we discovered that there was an incident that resulted in six persons being transferred to the hospital before the arrival of the brigade,” he said. “Observation revealed that extensive damage has been done to the building as a result of the explosion.” Another woman stated that she watched helplessly as one of the injured workers pleaded for water before being rushed to hospital. “The skin off her hands were burned so bad that yuh could see only white on a part of them, and she a say she thirsty bad and a say she want water. Nice girl mi a tell yuh, enuh. Imagine a work dem come and this happen. The next youth get burn but him never so bad, but the supervisor and the other female look a way, mi nah tell nuh lie,” she said. In a release, Restaurant Associates Limited, operators of Burger King in Jamaica, said that following a routine delivery of gas supplies to the location, employees reported a strong odour of gas, which was subsequently reported to the service provider. “The restaurant was promptly closed to follow the proper protocol, and the service provider returned to the site to address the issue. Before leaving the location, the supplier confirmed it was safe to proceed with business. Shortly thereafter, there was an explosion. Three of six employees showed visible signs of injuries, however all were taken to hospital for assessment and treatment,” the release said. As first responders processed the scene, a few persons were overheard saying that New Kingston had its own mini experience of the 9/11 attacks in the USA. “God time deh near because recently we a get bare earthquake, a bag a killing, now dis. Mi just glad no one never dead. People car get mash up but dat can buy back,” one man said. Concern for Burger King employees injured in explosion CHRISTOPHER THOMAS STAR Writer A British woman and a St Andrew man, who are accused of trying to smuggle $30 million worth of cocaine out of Jamaica inside food items, will stand trial in the St James Parish Court on October 29. Anatalie Duncan-John, a 45-year-old engineer from Manchester, England, and John Pinnock, of Barbican, St Andrew, are charged with possession of, dealing in, attempting to export, and conspiracy to export 10 pounds of cocaine. They got the trial date and had their bails extended when they appeared in court on Wednesday. When the matter was briefly mentioned before presiding Judge Natiesha Fairclough- Hylton, the court was told that there is a Communication Forensics and Cyber-Crime Division component to the case, which will form part of the prosecution’s case. Allegations are that on August 16, 2023, Duncan-John was preparing to board a TUI flight to London at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, when she was intercepted by narcotics police. Two suitcases in her possession were searched, and cocaine was found inside food items. Duncan-John was subsequently arrested and charged. Following further investigations, Pinnock was arrested and charged 13 days later. October trial date for duo in cocaine case TIFFANY TAYLOR STAR Writer A civil servant and her husband spent more than $3.5 million, which was wrongly deposited in their bank accounts, on IVF treatment to help them conceive a child. The couple, whose identity will not be shared by this publication, stumbled upon the sum in their bank account. The money was mistakenly transferred by the Accountant General’s Department. The couple reportedly waited two months before using the funds to cover rounds of IVF treatment. It is unclear whether the fertility treatment worked. On Wednesday, the couple were brought before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court to answer to the charge of simple larceny. They were admonished and discharged by Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell after it was disclosed that the money was repaid. “I don’t think you are criminals, I just think you are foolish,” said Burrell, who had some harsh words for the couple. “I hope you are ashamed. You shoulda shame like dog. One of you is a civil servant and the other is involved in the manufacturing [sector], you should’ve known better. But we have this thing in Jamaica to say ‘finders keepers’. You know what you did was wrong,” the senior jurist said before discharging the couple. Couple spends mystery money on fertility treatment Members of the Jamaica Fire Brigade on the scene of yesterday’s fire at the Burger King New Kingston outlet. A ntoine L odge P hotos Sangster International Airport. FiLe Burger King employees make their way from the building after the explosion that rocked the outlet.