Burning Rubber in Jamaica

It is not turning out to be a good year for the Jamaican employees of America’s largest tyremaker. Late on the evening of January 10 a blaze began in the Goodyear Tyre Distribution Centre in St Andrew.

More than a hundred firefighters were required to gain the upper hand as the fire gutted the warehouse. According to a fire department spokesperson, the fire started shortly after 8pm and took more than four and a half hours to contain. The warehouse, mostly filled with tyres, was difficult to enter and firefighters were required to cut through the roof.

Although an adjacent Goodyear administrative office was not damaged by the fire, this incident has been a major setback for Goodyear in Jamaica. Cynthia Jonas, manager of the facility, said “This is the only Goodyear warehouse in the island and we distribute island-wide.” It is believed that a three-month supply of tyres has been lost.