Fire Department Seeks Public's Help to Determine Cause of Blaze that Destroyed Old Parham Road Building

The Antigua and Barbuda Fire Department is appealing to the public for information after a fire destroyed a building on Old Parham Road in the early hours of Thursday morning, levelling the structure and all of its contents in a blaze that required three fire tenders to bring under control.

The Fire

The St. John's Fire Station received a report at approximately 1:07 a.m. that a building opposite the M&M Service Station on Old Parham Road was on fire. Three fire tenders were dispatched to the scene — No. 19 from the St. John's Fire Station, No. 21 from the Coolidge Fire Station, and No. 18 from the All Saints Fire Station.

Crews arriving at the scene found the approximately 40-by-50-foot structure fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters launched an immediate firefighting operation, deploying water from the responding tenders to contain and extinguish the blaze.

Despite their efforts, the building and all of its contents were completely destroyed.

No Injuries; Building Was Under Renovation

Fire Department Public Relations Officer Inspector Lester Bagot confirmed that no injuries were reported. He also disclosed that the building had been undergoing repairs at the time of the fire — a detail that investigators are expected to factor into their assessment of the fire's origin and cause.

Investigation Underway; Public Asked to Come Forward

The Fire Department has launched an investigation to determine how the fire started and what caused it to spread so rapidly. Investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the vicinity of the Old Parham Road building prior to or around the time of the fire, or who has any information that could assist the investigation, to contact the Antigua and Barbuda Fire Department or the Royal Police Force.

The destruction of an entire building in the early hours of the morning is the kind of incident that typically draws urgent attention — both for the scale of the property loss and for the question of whether the fire was accidental or deliberately set. The involvement of three stations and the complete loss of the structure underscores why the department is seeking any information the public can provide.

Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the Antigua and Barbuda Fire Department or the nearest police station.