KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, Apr 8, CMC – National Security Minister St. Clair Leacock says a malfunctioning piece of equipment may have been responsible for the fire that destroyed the two storey building housing the Calliaqua Police Station, southeast of here on March 13
“ I have a formal report from the police as the cause of fire and it is not nefarious as some people are speculating,” Leacock said on a radio programme here, adding “it started somewhere downstairs, possibly with a malfunctioned piece of item. It’s not deliberate, and the police didn’t run out — and set the place afire and leave it alone”.
Leacock told radio listeners that the building was “rotten” and that he had to be “limited in the detail I give as to the cause of the fire at this time.
“Even though the power company has given their report, the police have given theirs, and the electrical inspector has given those, we are still doing the evaluation with a fine-teeth comb, so we have to be absolutely sure that we didn’t overlook any part of the investigation.”
Leacock said he does not believe that the new Calliaqua Police Station would be rebuilt at the same spot and that the government is considering leaving the police station in the town hall building and constructing a new town hall.
“…but that depends on engineering, architects and other consultations. But whatever it is, they will be in far better condition than they were at the existing (police station),” he said.
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