A pick-up loaded with the suspected stolen items from the warehouse.
Police investigators now firmly believe that the Massade warehouse fire on January 2, 2015 is the work of arsonists after thousands of dollars worth goods from the said warehouse were recovered from a house in Union on Tuesday night, highly-placed sources have told St. Lucia News Online (SNO).
The warehouse, owned by Carasco and Son Ltd., was destroyed by fire at the Massade Industrial Estate in Gros-Islet. The warehouse was stocked with hardware, plumbing and electrical supplies, among other items.
However, on Tuesday, January 6 at around 8 p.m. – four days after the warehouse fire – a squad of police officers from the north of the island, acting on information, went to a house in Union. Sources say the house was not occupied when the police arrived.
“The owner was reported to be overseas. Apparently, someone saw the cops at the house and alerted the owner who sent a neighbour to check out what was going on. The neighbour assisted the police in entering the house where they found the items belonging to the warehouse. The items were obviously stolen,” a reliable source said.
A Justice of the Peace (JP) was brought to the residence to witness the police operation.
Three police pick-up vehicles transported the items – electrical and plumbing supplies, to the Gros Islet Police Station, which is spearheading the investigations. The neighbour was detained for questioning then released pending further investigations.
Investigators theorise that the perpetrators broke into the warehouse, stole the items then set the warehouse on fire to conceal the crime.
SNO called the office of Carasco & Son Ltd. for a comment at least four times, but we were told the manager is unavailable.
In a previous interview, Deputy Fire Chief, Lambert Charles, told SNO that the Gros Islet Fire Station received the emergency call at about 11:20 on the evening of the fire.
He said two fire trucks responded, but when the firefighters arrived on the scene, the structure was already engulfed in flames and the roof of the building had already caved in. However, they were able to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to other buildings.
Charles said the fire started from inside the building, which was made of clay brick and measured 40 feet by 60 feet. The warehouse was stocked with a number of hardware supplies including: PVC pipes, copper wire, mattresses and water tanks, among others.
The deputy fire chief had said foul play was not ruled out.
