Fire ravages and burns through residential building at Grand Anse Praslin |25 May 2020

An intense fire on Saturday ravaged and burned through a residential building in the St Joseph vicinity, Grand Anse Praslin, destroying a two-storey house where 16 individuals lived.

The fire is thought to have broken out at around 2pm, as the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency, based at Baie St Anne Praslin, were alerted through a call for assistance by a police officer at around 2.16pm.

According to sub-station officer Peter Cherry, six officers who were on duty were deployed in two trucks, as well as additional officers who had the day off, to combat the blaze, whose cause is still undetermined for the present time.

Upon arriving on scene, the fire was already consuming the entire house, a fairly aged building featuring lots of woodwork, especially on the top storey.

To the firemen’s dismay, the closest water hydrant was not functioning leading the officers no choice but to extend eighteen 100-foot water hoses to the next closest hydrant.

“The water hydrant was not working and we initially had 2,500 litres on the trucks from the station. Luckily, a truck was also deployed from the Praslin airport and they engaged in the initial attack while other officers laid out the hoses to the next hydrant. A member of the public also offered water from their swimming pool and it was pumped dry during the initial attack as officers struggled to get the blaze under control, with the house being wood and all. It took at least one and a half to two hours to control the fire and it is lucky that other officers offered their support,” Mr Cherry noted.

The blaze was finally put under control, although the building is completely destroyed. People who were residing in the building were being assisted by the owner of the building Peter Payet, who has over the past two decades provided accommodation for persons struggling to find a place to stay and others who find themselves homeless. The first floor of the building was housing eight individuals who share two kitchens, two bathrooms and two toilets, with a further eight individuals being housed upstairs.

“It’s such a shame that the house is completely destroyed because it was such a help to so many people over the 25 years it’s been around. I have always operated it sort of as a charity, offering it to homeless people, and others who find it hard to accommodate their families. Some people need to be helped so they can help themselves,” Mr Payet said.

Mr Payet hopes to be able to rebuild the facility to continue providing such services and help to those who are disadvantaged, at least at one point in their lives.

Mr Payet, who lives nearby, noted that he was alerted about the blaze by kids playing in back garden.

Laura Pillay