By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

PANIC swept through the Harbour Green Shopping Plaza on Thursday when a fire at Café Coco triggered an explosion that sent shockwaves through nearby stores, leaving staff fearing a plane had crashed into their building.

Tara Morley, owner of Cole’s of Nassau, Love Brand & Co, and Morley for Men, said she and her employees were preparing for a year-end sale when the blast rattled their store.

“I felt debris fall from the ceiling. The chandelier was swinging,” Ms Morley told The Tribune on Friday, seated inside Cloe’s across from her two damaged stores. “I thought a beam had cracked and the roof was going to collapse on us. At one point, one of my other team members thought a truck had crashed into the building. Another one of my team members thought a plane had crashed. We were all trying to figure it out.”

Police said the fire was reported shortly after 2pm in the Western Road area. Officers arrived to find a single-storey building engulfed in flames coming from the roof. According to the initial report, a local gas company was servicing a gas tank at the restaurant when an explosion occurred.

Two employees of the company, aged 32 and 30, were injured and taken to hospital by Emergency Medical Services. The fire was extinguished, but the northern side of the roof was destroyed.

Chief Fire Officer Demris Ambrister said Café Coco was destroyed inside, while the adjoining Love Brand & Co and Morley for Men stores suffered roof damage.

Ms Morley said after hearing the explosion, she and her staff ran outside and saw the flames spreading. She rushed between her businesses to ensure everyone was safe, as the gas truck remained nearby and officials ordered the area cleared.

Despite the destruction, she said she was grateful her team escaped unharmed.

“We’re all just very lucky,” she said. “As far as our team is concerned, we’re very blessed. The situation could have been a lot worse. Hopefully, there will be additional precautionary measures with gas companies and places who receive gas going forward, to try and avoid this type of outcome in the future.”

Ms Morley said her stores are insured and commended the landlord for acting swiftly to begin roof repairs.

The owner of Café Coco declined to comment.