Dilapidated bell tower a threat to Lucea firefighters
Published:Wednesday | July 16, 2025 | 12:11 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Acting Superintendent Oniel Henry, the head of the Hanover division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), is concerned about a crumbling bell tower on the grounds of the fire station, fearing it could collapse at any time.
Speaking at last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), Henry expressed concerns about the safety of personnel who operate within the proximity of the bell tower.
He noted that it was a safety hazard for both fire personnel and visitors to the fire station compound although acknowledging that it held historical significance.
“I know that it is a national monument and something that we must look carefully at for our heritage and culture. However, I think that it is unsafe now for not only firefighters, but even for our citizens who visit the station,” Henry said. “I do not know if there is a way that we could refurbish it even while keeping the cultural significance of it.”
ALARM SYSTEM
Checks by The Gleaner has revealed that the 15-foot tall tower, with a huge bell affixed at the top, was used in earlier times as the alarm system to alert firefighters when their services were needed.
The structure, built of planks and wood with a huge metal bell in the middle, is now showing telltale signs of age as some sections of structure are rotten and there is evidence of rust on the metal section.
The HMC building, which sits near the JFB’s Hanover headquarters in Lucea, is also a Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) site, and like the bell tower, cannot be repaired or refurbished without the approval of the JNHT.
Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels instructed Henry to document his concerns to David Gardner, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the HMC, with a view to having him bring the matter to the attention of the JNHT.
After the meeting, Henry told The Gleaner that he had instructed all fire personnel under his command to stay away from it as well as to instruct visitors to do the same.
“I must emphasise that my request to the HMC is not to remove the tower, but to refurbish it and make it safer,” said Henry. “The connection to the bell in the top of the tower is in such a bad state that the bell can fall out at any time. I have asked the firefighters not to go under there, and with us in the hurricane season, any strong wind can blow it down.”