After a two-year gap that left local communities without dedicated fire response coverage, Princes Town has formally welcomed the return of full-time fire and emergency services from a newly renovated temporary facility on King Street. The facility, which now serves more than 180,500 residents across 56 surrounding communities, held its official opening ceremony yesterday led by Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander.
The original High Street fire station was shut down in July 2024 after severe structural degradation and a widespread rodent infestation created unacceptable health and safety hazards for on-duty personnel. For 24 months following the closure, all fire-related emergencies in the Princes Town region were handled by crews from stations outside the district, a gap that sparked growing public anxiety over extended emergency response times that put lives and property at risk.
Fire crews began operating from the repurposed King Street building back in May 2026, and the site will remain in use as a temporary base while the government advances planning and pre-construction work for a purpose-built permanent fire station. The total renovation cost for the temporary facility came in at $229,801.25, according to Alexander, who noted that the project repurposed an existing unused Urban Redevelopment Program (URP) building, with fire crews completing most of the renovation work themselves.
In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Alexander framed the launch as more than just the opening of a new municipal building—rather, he called it the restoration of a critical public service that the community had been forced to go without for far too long. “When we close down a vital public service, two years is an unacceptable length of time to go without a replacement,” he said. “If we take a critical service offline today, it should be back up and running somewhere new tomorrow—that is the standard that the public deserves. But for two full years, Princes Town had no operational fire station of its own.”
Alexander acknowledged that the closure of the original station was a non-negotiable step to protect firefighter safety. “The decision to shut down the old station was necessary,” he explained. “The safety of our fire officers can never be compromised.” He reminded crews assigned to the new station that they are responsible for responding to emergencies across a large, diverse service area that includes residential neighborhoods, local commercial operations, and agricultural farms, urging them to prioritize rapid response. “When you save a single life, you save an entire family from destruction,” he said.
Calling the nation’s firefighters “unnoticed heroes”, Alexander reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing emergency personnel with the proper equipment and infrastructure they need to serve the public effectively. He also encouraged crews to proactively engage with local schools and businesses to deliver fire prevention education, and to conduct regular checks to ensure that fire extinguishers and other critical safety equipment are properly maintained across the region.
Local residents have been issued new contact information for emergency response: the King Street station can be reached directly at 655-2222, while 990 remains active for all emergency reporting.
Looking ahead, Alexander signaled that the coastal community of Moruga is next in line for expanded fire service coverage, noting that long response distances from existing stations have created major barriers to saving lives in emergency situations there. “Sometimes, when you have to travel so far, even your best efforts cannot save many lives,” he said. “So Moruga, you are up next. We will see what we can do.” The minister confirmed that the government will conduct a feasibility study for a dedicated fire station in Moruga and hold discussions on the proposal with the Prime Minister in the coming weeks. He added that the San Juan Fire Station will also receive targeted upgrades as part of the government’s broader push to ensure all communities across the country have access to the high-quality emergency services they are entitled to.
The opening ceremony was attended by multiple local elected officials, including Princes Town Member of Parliament Dr. Aiyna Ali and Naparima Member of Parliament Dr. Narindra Roopnarine. Ali emphasized that the reopening of the station carries far more meaning than a symbolic ceremonial event, saying it delivers tangible, improved protection for the residents and business owners of Princes Town. “This is not just a ceremony—it is about protecting lives, protecting property, and protecting livelihoods,” she said. “Our firefighters deserve safe, healthy, and dignified working conditions. We cannot ask the men and women who run toward danger to work in conditions that put their own health and safety at risk.”
Roopnarine echoed Ali’s remarks, commending the nation’s fire service personnel for their consistent dedication and courage when responding to emergencies across Trinidad and Tobago. He noted that firefighters across the country regularly put their own lives on the line to protect public lives and property, and they deserve full respect and appreciation from the public they serve. Roopnarine expressed his hope that the new temporary Princes Town facility would serve the community well for years to come, and significantly strengthen the region’s overall emergency response capacity.