Much of the BICO dairy complex was destroyed in a major fire last night.
What a tragedy for BICO employees and their families. No time would be a good time for a fire, but the world economy and job market are pretty tough right now.
Many of our visitors from North America or the UK will not really grasp how significant an event like this is in Barbados – in the local economy and in the community.
The Nation has an article up, but no doubt there will be plenty of coverage by morning.
The Nation: Bico up in flames
(Thanks to The Nation for the photo. Fair trade for the link.)
Barbados Free Press 
This is most unfortunate especially in the middle of a recession.
Don’t you find it suspicious that the cold storage area holding already processed and imported ice-cream and the office with all the important files escaped without so much as a lick of damage but the manufacturing arm was completely destroyed? Hasn’t BICO said in the past that it was cheaper for them to import ice-cream than make it here?
Just saying…….
Aniz,
It is such a shame that a true manufacturing tragedy as this needs you low insinuations to bring some intrigue to the spectre of job losses in the middle of a bad recession.
the FACTS are….two subcontractors working on the boilers ran to the security hut looking for a fire extinguisher minutes before the blaze broke out…I don’t think anyone will want to hire them again in a hurry if this is the standard they perform to.
six fire tenders respomded quickly but they did not have any water to put the fire out…not the first time this has happened in Barbados yet you seem to want to blane BICO…grow up and stop pulling down one of the few manufacturers still trying in an economy of high cost and low work ethic.
IT SAD WHEN BUSINESSES LOSE PROPERTY DUE TO FIRE,I WAS @ BICO OBSERVING THE FIRE FROM A GOOD VANTAGE POINT AND LET ME TELL YOU GUYS SOME-THING I COULDNT BE A FIREMAN,THE HEAT WAS RADIATING THAT THOUGHT I WAS ABOUT 100FT,IT MADE ME FEEL BAD,I WONDER HOW THEY MANAGE TO DEAL WITH SO MUCH HEAT,THE WATER WORKS SAID IN A PRESS REALEASE LAST NIGHT ON C.B.C,THEY ONLY SUPPLY WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE,THAT THE FIRE SERVICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR USING EQUIPMENT TO INCREASE PRESSUR FROM A HYDRANT,NONSENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PEOPLES DONT BUY THIS CRAP,B.W.A TRYING TO SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY,WHATS CAN YOU ATTACHED ON TO A HYDRANT THAT HAS NO PRESSURE TO INCREASE PRESSURE TO A GREAT MAGNITUDE,COME ON PRIVATE SECTORS,GET BEHIND THE B.W.A TO MAKE SURE YOU BUSINESSES IS FIRE SAFETY READY WITH HYDRANTS,(WORKING ONES INCLUDING PRESSURE)AND DONATE MONEY FOR A WATER TANKER FOR THE FIREBRIGADE,REMEMBER SHERATON FIRE SAME PRESSURE PROBLEM,IT HAS REBUILT BIGGER AND BETTER BUT STILL NO HYDRANT ON THE PREMISES(LOL)ONLY IN BARBADOS.ITS TIME WE OVERHAUL THE B.W.A THE OVERSTAFF DEPT AXE THEM HOME AND HAVE A COOMPETANT DEPT,I GONE.