SWIFT ACTION by members of the Barbados Fire Service prevented what could have been a disaster in the wee hours of yesterday morning.

A fire of unknown origin gutted the downstairs apartments of the once popular Pleasure Seekers nightclub at the corner of Taitt Road, Brittons Hill, St Michael.

When the Fire Service team arrived on the scene, they found 92-year-old Elmina Foster trapped inside the wrought iron-secured apartment, which was engulfed in smoke. The firemen cut the locks off the door and were able to rescue Foster, who was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

The club is divided into several small apartments, with only two being occupied at the time of the fire.

Speaking to the DAILY NATION, the second occupant of one of the apartments, Richard Dupre, expressed gratitude that he escaped unscathed.

"I was between sleep and wake when I heard someone shout 'Richard, Richard, wake up! The house on fire!' When I jumped up I smelled the smoke even though my room was all right . . . At first I thought it was coming from my kitchen so I ran there and realised it was not coming from there.

". . . I ran back in my bedroom, ripped opened one of the iron bars at the window and started throwing as many of my things as possible through the window before climbing through the same window and jumping downstairs. Had not for the firemen arriving so quickly, it could have been a lot worse.

"Because of the wrought iron and the amount of smoke, none of us around there could have got in to save the old lady. Had not for the firemen arriving as quickly as they did, she could have easily lost her life," he said.

Dupre said the house was owned by a Lionel Foster.

Nine fire officers responded to the call. (CH)