By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FIREFIGHTERS responded to separate bush fires in Eleuthera and Abaco yesterday, with police confirming that both blazes were contained and posed no threat to homes or businesses.

In Rock Sound, Eleuthera, officers were alerted to a fire shortly before 2pm in an area known locally as White Road. Superintendent Franklyn Neely, head of the Eleuthera Division, said police called in the Men of Faith volunteer firefighting team, who helped bring the blaze under control. He said the fire was extinguished before it could spread further and that no properties were at risk.

Authorities suspect the fire may have been sparked by nearby farming activity involving slash-and-burn techniques, though investigations are still underway to determine the exact cause.

In Abaco, a large bush fire broke out north of Treasure Cay on Monday and continued into Tuesday. Firefighters from the Treasure Cay Fire Department worked to contain the flames. Chief Superintendent Michael Thurston, officer in charge of the Abaco Division, said the cause of the fire had not been determined but confirmed that it had been contained as of press time.

He described the affected area as a wide expanse of bushland and said there were no active threats to the Treasure Cay airport, businesses, or nearby communities, including Blackwood. However, he warned that smoke had significantly reduced visibility along the SC Bootle Highway and urged drivers to use caution.

The warning followed reports of a three-car crash on the highway on Monday, which some witnesses attributed to smoke from the fire. CSP Thurston confirmed the incident but said the cause remained under investigation. No injuries were reported.

The fires come amid a spate of recent blazes nationwide. On Monday, a massive fire tore through the Hyacinth Stuart Building and nearby commercial properties in New Providence, forcing evacuations, disrupting government operations, and destroying AML’s Solomon’s and Cost Right stores.