A deadly explosion and subsequent fire at a Kingston, Jamaica garage adjacent to courier firm Beryllium Limited has left one person dead, with two others critically injured flown to the United States for advanced burn care and one remaining in local hospital treatment, emergency and company officials confirmed Thursday.
The blast, which injured four men spanning the garage’s management team, a Beryllium operations employee, an air conditioning technician and a welder, has rocked the local business community, with coordinated response efforts launched immediately across public medical institutions, local nonprofits and private sector stakeholders.
In an official statement released Thursday, Beryllium Limited confirmed that one external contractor working on-site at the garage facility had succumbed to his injuries. Local media Jamaica Observer later identified the deceased as Richard McQuire. The company extended its deepest sympathy to McQuire’s family, friends and loved ones, saying the organization shared their grief during this devastating period.
The two surviving critically injured victims—Damian Walter and Richard McPherson—were transported via ambulance from Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), where they had been admitted since the incident, to Norman Manley International Airport. A specialized air ambulance was on standby to transfer the pair to top-tier U.S. burn treatment centers. One victim is bound for UCSF Medical Center in California, while the second will receive care at the JMS Burn Center in Atlanta, Georgia, a facility widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading burn care institutions.
Nicholas Benjamin, deputy chairman of the Guardsman Group, Beryllium’s parent company, confirmed that the third surviving injured victim remains in stable condition receiving ongoing care at a Jamaican hospital. Benjamin emphasized that expediting access to specialized care for the two critically injured men was the top priority to maximize their odds of survival.
“Our staff and contracted workers are our most fundamental responsibility, and safeguarding their well-being is our primary duty,” Benjamin told reporters on the tarmac at Norman Manley International Airport. “Over the past 36 hours, it has become even clearer that timely intervention is non-negotiable for burn patients. Moving them quickly to advanced care is the single most critical step we can take right now.”
He added that even with severe third-degree burns, the two men remained in remarkably high spirits as they boarded the transfer ambulance, a moment that left a lasting impact. “Seeing their positive attitudes lifted all of us up. This is an incredibly difficult ordeal for them, and it’s hard for our team to see them suffer, but their resilience has given all of us strength to keep pushing forward to support them,” he said.
Stephen Josephs, founder of the Burn Foundation of Jamaica, which partnered on the transfer logistics, praised the rapid response from local medical teams at KPH for laying the groundwork for the successful transfer. “I cannot say enough good about the physicians, nurses and entire KPH team for how quickly they shared critical patient information and stabilized the men. Information is everything when coordinating an emergency international transfer, and their phenomenal work got us to this point,” Josephs noted.
Benjamin echoed that praise, noting that the KPH medical team acted swiftly to stabilize the two patients, preparing them for the next phase of their treatment and recovery. “We are deeply grateful to our local medical colleagues for their incredible work,” he said.
Guardsman Group founder Kenny Benjamin, who was present at the airport for the departure, reiterated that the company’s core priority is its people. “Our business revolves around people, so supporting these men and their families is the most important work we can do right now. I’m proud that every stakeholder came together quickly to do everything possible to help,” he said.
In its official statement, Beryllium Limited and the Guardsman Group confirmed that the well-being, care and full recovery of all those affected remain the organization’s absolute top priority. Since the explosion occurred, the company has worked in close lockstep with local and international medical professionals, emergency response teams and government authorities to put in place all required medical logistics, travel arrangements and family support for the victims. Professional trauma counselors have also been brought in to provide emotional support for Beryllium staff who were impacted by the incident. The company added that it remains fully committed to supporting all affected individuals and their families, and will continue cooperating fully with authorities as the investigation into the cause of the explosion moves forward.