A 70-year-old man tragically lost his life in a fire at the Gallery Apartments on Oxford Road in New Kingston early Thursday morning, according to Assistant Superintendent Courtney Thompson of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB).
Thompson confirmed that the charred remains of the elderly man were discovered in the rubble after firefighters extinguished the blaze. The man’s identity has not yet been released.
The JFB reportedly received an emergency call at 4:12 a.m., prompting the dispatch of two fire units—one from York Park and another from Half-Way Tree. However, due to the intensity of the blaze, additional units were later deployed from Rollington Town, Trench Town, and a second York Park unit.
“Upon arrival, firefighters found the blaze confined to the sixth floor of the apartment complex,” Thompson said. “A single jet was used to bring the fire under control. During search and rescue operations, the body of a 70-year-old male was found among the debris.”
Preliminary reports indicate that the man had initially escaped the fire but returned inside to retrieve an item, where he likely suffocated before being overcome by the flames.
Investigators believe the fire originated in the penthouse of apartment six, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
According to the JFB, six families have been displaced or otherwise affected by the incident.
