$6-billion Morant Bay Urban Centre unaffected by nearby wildfire

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is denying claims circulating social media that the newly-constructed $6-billion Morant Bay Urban Centre in St Thomas was affected by a massive wildfire that broke out on a nearby farm on Wednesday.

However, while confirming that the fire started on the adjacent Springfield Farm, property, Sean Martin, deputy commissioner of the JFB, said firefighters took steps to ensure it did not spread to the new billion-dollar commercial hub.

"The strategy was to surround it [the fire] and prevent it from getting across there and they managed to do that," said Martin, who is in charge of fire safety, prevention and investigation.

The blaze was put out by firefighters from the Morant Bay and Yallahs fire stations, with assistance from two water trucks provided by the National Water Commission.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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