A catastrophic fire that erupted in the early hours of New Year’s Day has completely destroyed a longstanding catering bar and grill on Spanish Town Road in St. Andrew, Jamaica, leaving more than 15 employees without livelihoods. The blaze, which ignited shortly after midnight, consumed the premises of Paradise Catering and Dobby’s Hideaway Bar and Grill, resulting in extensive damage to warehouses and the near-total loss of operational equipment. Miraculously, no staff injuries were reported.
Managing Director Chef Ricardo Esson, surveying the charred remnants of his establishment, expressed profound distress over the impact on his workforce. Characterizing his team as family, Esson revealed that the financial devastation would force him to implement a reduced work schedule once operations resume, potentially placing staff on a week-on, week-off rotation. The timing compounds the tragedy, with Esson highlighting the particular hardship faced by newly hired employees suddenly deprived of income.
The property owner, 80-year-old Vincent Myers, described the incident as the destruction of his life savings, having operated his business at the location for over three decades. Myers emphasized the necessity of strategic rebuilding with proper materials rather than temporary structures, though he remains optimistic about customer retention with adequate support.
Whitfield Town Division Councillor Eugene Kelly underscored the broader community impact, noting that approximately 20 employees supported hundreds of family members across multiple generations. Kelly advocated for establishing governmental emergency funds specifically for small businesses, which he identified as economic lifelines for inner-city communities. He emphasized that many such enterprises lack sufficient insurance coverage for catastrophic events, necessitating systemic support mechanisms for recovery and rebuilding.