The Officers’ Mess Hall, the Traffic Department and the main building of the Brickdam Police Station that housed the Inquires and CID departments, the Prosecutors’ and Commanders’ offices are among the structures that were destroyed in the massive fire on Saturday.
Officials told a news conference that the fire started in the upper part of an eastern building of the Brickdam police station at around 11:00hrs; the destruction amounts to over 80 per cent of the building.
Commissioner of Police (ag.) Nigel Hoppie, during a briefing held at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said that the police barracks and lockups were not destroyed. The buildings destroyed were wooden structures and it was related that some structures were more than 100 years old.
The cause of the fire is not yet known as firefighters are continuing their investigations.
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Meanwhile, Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean said that the day-to-day patrol operations of ranks from the fire-ravaged Brickdam Police Station will not be affected even as discussions are ongoing as to where the headquarters will be temporarily housed.
Similarly, Hoppie assured members of the public, especially those in Division 4A that was under the purview of the Brickdam station, that they should have no fear.
“Systems are already in place to ensure that peace and order will prevail in district 4A,” Hoppie stated.
It was communicated that there are more than 200 officers from this station on duty each day. Of that number, a majority of the ranks were in the streets patrolling. That is expected to continue.
A decision has not yet been made as to where the station will be relocated or where the prisoners will be kept in the interim.
