A SLFS firefighter spraying water on the tree.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia--Locals and cruise ship visitors used seawater to douse an almond tree at Vigie Beach that “mysteriously” caught fire on Friday, raising suspicion that the fire was deliberately set.
Fanned by a strong sea breeze, the flames threatened to consume the tree, which has been at its location for decades.
The St. Lucia Fire Service (SLFS) arrived on the scene at about 1:36 pm with a fire truck in time to extinguish the smouldering embers.
A senior National Conservation Association (NCA) official was also at the scene.
The incident occurred at a busy time for the St. Lucia Fire Service, which has had to deal with several fires within the last two weeks, leaving 12 people homeless.
The fires have occurred despite the fire department’s warnings and fire prevention tips.
Apart from fires, fire service emergency personnel have had to respond to nearly 200 ambulance calls within the last two weeks.
The calls concerned medical emergencies, road accidents, and physical assaults. ~ St. Lucia Times ~
