Thursday’s fire in Cay Hill that left several persons homeless (see related story) once more illustrates the need to enforce building codes and traffic regulations in St. Maarten. Fire-fighters reportedly had problems reaching the blaze because of the narrow roads lined with old cars and things easily could have turned out far worse.
The houses and apartments there are fairly close together, leaving little room for emergency vehicles to manoeuvre. Some, although not this one, are also primarily made of wood and can quickly turn into virtual firetraps.
A man on the scene who said he lived in the burning complex mentioned the use of a 75-watt bulb on plywood. However, there was no official word yet on a possible cause.
It’s almost a bit ironic that in this same hillside area one of the illicit shanty towns inhabited mainly by immigrants and considered unfit after the devastating passage of Hurricane Luis in September 1995 was partially bulldozed. Only dwellings that met certain basic criteria, including running water and an adequate cesspit, were spared at the time.
However, new structures arose soon after in a seemingly unchecked manner and apparently hardly supervised by local authorities. The result is an again overcrowded and difficult-to-access neighbourhood, where even police rarely venture.
The Dutch side is known for largely uncontrolled development over the years, but it’s 2016. Surely in this day and age something can and must be done to implement proper zoning and spatial planning, as well as – one way or the other – ensuring people understand that rules are there to be respected.
