Roseau, the capital city of Dominica, is grappling with its second devastating urban fire in less than three months after an early morning blaze on Wednesday, May 6, tore through a cluster of downtown structures along Great Marlborough Street and Upper Lane. Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Prosper confirmed that the inferno destroyed between eight and nine local buildings, counting several high-profile commercial and professional properties among the losses. Affected sites include the law offices of local attorney Joshua Francis, the multi-use French Connection Building, and the popular local eatery Family Restaurant, alongside other smaller businesses. Prosper emphasized that the blaze has left a stark financial and community void, calling the destruction a major loss for the entire Roseau area.
In a public statement posted to his social media channels shortly after the fire broke out, Francis shared his shock at the damage to his practice. “This morning I was alarmed that HAJ LAW offices, my offices—two floors—were compromised by fire,” Francis wrote, adding that formal damage assessments would be conducted once authorities clear the site for inspection. As of Wednesday afternoon, official investigations into the cause and origin of the latest blaze remain ongoing.
This incident comes on the heels of a separate large-scale fire that rocked Roseau’s commercial district just two months prior, on Monday, March 2, 2026. That earlier blaze on King George IV Street also destroyed multiple businesses and forced the permanent closure of one of the country’s most prominent pharmacies. Deputy Chief Prosper confirmed the 2026 March fire damaged Jolly’s Pharmacy, the adjacent Fitness University gym, a local retail store operated by Chinese owners, and a neighborhood bar. Despite the extensive damage from that incident, Prosper publicly commended responding fire crews for their rapid, effective action, which stopped the fire from spreading to adjacent blocks and prevented even greater destruction. “The fire officers did a very, very good job in confining the fire,” Prosper told local outlet DBS Radio in comments following the March incident. Even with the successful containment, Prosper warned at the time that the total financial impact of that first blaze on the city’s business community would be substantial.