Thirty people are out of work after fire destroyed the factory and showroom of Workbench Furniture Limited in an early morning blaze yesterday.
The fire started just before 3 a.m., and officers of the Barbados Fire Service (BFS) brought it under control more than three hours later.
Though the large building is still upright, it has been gutted, and even yesterday evening as motorists drove past the razed building on the Spring Garden Highway, smoke could still be seen streaming out of several areas along the western side of the complex.
Public relations officer of the Royal Barbados Police Force, Inspector David Welch, said that even after the blaze had been brought under control around 6:10 a.m. firemen remained to ensure there were no further flare-ups.
Welch said the building, owned by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation, was insured.
It was leased to managing director James Linton, who is overseas.
Several employees of the company, which has been on the site for nearly 20 years, were on hand.
“Some were in tears because they were wondering how they are going to make it now the company is gone,” said Bobbi McKay, executive director of the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association (BMA), who was on the scene from around 4 a.m.
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