Montego Bay's Fire Boat
Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Monday's reported oven fire aboard Grand Princess was minor, with no injuries and barely a delay. The ship's own well-equipped and highly-trained fire brigade took care of the situation.

Nonetheless, this incident underscored a worrying lack of fire fighting facilities in Jamaica's Montego Bay.

According to both the Jamaica Observer and the Jamaica Gleaner, the area's one fire boat is currently out of service, and has been since January 3 of this year.

But even before that, it is unclear this lone boat was ever up to the task. Montego Bay's mayor, Councillor Charles Sinclair, told the Gleaner in January:

As far a I know, it was a limping, inadequate fire boat. My thinking is that we should get a new boat. ...

It is inadequate for what we have passing through the harbour. I seriously fear what could happen should we have a fire on one of those cruise ships that come here weekly."

Those who recall the tragic fire aboard Star Princess outside Montego Bay two years ago may remember that then, too, the ship's crew fought the fire alone, without assistance from local fire fighters.

Mayor Sinclair told the Gleaner in January he had urged the Prime Minister to provide funds for an operational and adequate fire boat.

We sincerely hope that request is granted.