The Saint Lucia Fire Service has rejected claims circulating publicly that the newly commissioned St Jude Hospital experienced an electrical fire, stating that there is no evidence such an incident has occurred since the facility began operations.
Fire Prevention Officer Owen Cazaubon issued the clarification on July 27, saying the Fire Service had reviewed its records and conducted inquiries after becoming aware of the reports.
“The Saint Lucia Fire Service has become aware of public statements and the discussion alleging that the new Saint Jude Hospital has experienced a fire incident since becoming operational,” Cazaubon said.
“In the interest of providing accurate and factual information to the public, the Fire Service wishes to clarify that, based on its official operational records, that there are no reports of any unwanted fire occurring at the new Saint Jude Hospital since its opening.”
He added that further checks had also found no evidence to support the claims.
“Furthermore, inquiries conducted by the Fire Service have confirmed that no such fire incident has occurred within the hospital premises,” he said.
Cazaubon used the opportunity to explain the Fire Service’s legal responsibility for inspecting buildings and enforcing fire safety standards across Saint Lucia.
“Having the statutory authority from the laws of Saint Lucia, specifically the Industrial and Commercial Building Act, better referred to as the Fire Safety Act, employs the Fire Service to inspect industrial, commercial and other buildings of public interest to assess the compliance with established fire and life safety requirements,” he said.
“This mandate is carried out fairly, impartially and in accordance with the law.”
He stressed that the Fire Service’s overriding responsibility is protecting lives, property and the environment, adding that public safety guides every inspection and enforcement decision.
“With the protection of life, property and the environment as our paramount consideration, public safety remains the primary objective of every inspection, assessment and enforcement action undertaken by the Saint Lucia Fire Service,” Cazaubon said.
“At no time will any other interest take precedence over our duty to safeguard the public.”
The Fire Prevention Officer also sought to address misconceptions about the purpose of a fire safety certificate, noting that certification should not be interpreted as a guarantee that a building will never experience a fire.
“It is important to emphasize that the assurance of a fire safety certificate does not constitute a guarantee that a fire will never occur within a building,” he said.
“Fire safety certification is not an assurance against the ignition of a fire. Rather, it is a confirmation that at the time of the inspection, the building complied with the applicable fire and life safety requirements prescribed by law.”
Cazaubon pointed to examples from overseas to illustrate that even buildings meeting modern fire safety standards can experience fires because of unforeseen events.
“Recent incidents around the world have demonstrated that buildings operating in compliance with fire safety regulations can experience fires due to unforeseen circumstances including accidental ignition, equipment malfunction, human error or other contributing factors,” he said.
“We have witnessed the devastating fire at the Chiltern Firehouse in London in February 2025, a luxury hotel widely recognized for complying with modern fire safety standards.”
He noted that while the fire caused significant damage, the building’s safety systems performed as intended.
“The most important fact is that the building’s fire safety measures enabled the safe evacuation of approximately 100 occupants without loss of life,” Cazaubon said.
The Fire Service has urged the public to rely on verified information and official sources regarding matters of public safety, reiterating that there have been no reported or confirmed fire incidents at the new St Jude Hospital since it became operational.