By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ABACO residents are urging the government to clear debris from demolished shanty towns, claiming the rubble is fueling fires that pose serious health hazards to nearby communities.

Last week, residents sounded the alarm over a raging fire in the Gaza shanty town near SC Bootle Highway, west of Murphy Town. Smoke from the blaze was visible in nearby communities and to residents travelling on the highway en route to North Abaco.

It was one of several recent fires in the Abaco community, reportedly fueled by a blaze at a nearby trash site.

While the fires have since been contained, residents believe the situation could have been better managed if the shantytown debris hadn’t been left to fuel the flames.

Last year, the Davis administration demolished dozens of structures in shanty towns known as the Gaza, the Gully, and the Farm, located near Treasure Cay.

“Once the fire gets in there, we can’t go in there because there’s so much debris and some of these vehicles probably been there 30 or 40 years,” said Danny Sawyer, the fire chief for Central Abaco.

He added that narrow roads leading to the former shanty town community also made it difficult for firefighters to access the area.

Firefighters say the numerous potholes and trenches along the existing roadway damage the trucks’ hydraulic brakes, frames, and water tanks, hindering their ability to respond effectively.

“The roads are pretty bad there and they are pretty small so we can’t get anything in there,” he said. “We’re scared to carry anything in there.”

There is also concern about the contents of the burning debris and the health hazards it poses to firefighters and nearby communities.

Roscoe Thompson, chairman of the Marsh Harbour/Spring City Township, told The Tribune that action is needed, not only to address the debris but to have the proper equipment.

“The Ministry of Works seem to knock things down and clean up works what they’re supposed to do,” Mr Thompson said. “The government has to have equipment. You know firetrucks are one thing but on these areas of our towns that are positioned with so much underbrush, there need to be fire breaks – sixty to 80 feet wide where fires can’t jump across.”

Works Minister Clay Sweeting did not respond to requests for comment up to press time yesterday.

However, North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish acknowledged on Friday the challenges firefighters face in reaching the fires, which he partially attributed to the dry season and warm temperatures. 

He also admitted that smoke from the derelict vehicles is highly toxic.

He added that he and his parliamentary colleague, John Pinder, the MP for Central and South Abaco, have been using their constituency funds to secure resources like bulldozers to create access roads for firefighters.

He estimated that the fires may have affected five to ten or more acres of land.

“There’s very limited structure damages. There is no home that I’m aware of that was lost,” he added. “But we will continue to do what we can to ensure that we keep our community safe and fire-free.”