Statement on Fire at Massy Stores Waterfront

There was a major fire which took place at our Massy Stores Waterfront location in the very early hours of Sunday morning, October 25, 2020. The store was closed at the time of the fire and no one was in the building. Officers from the St. Lucia Fire Service responded and contained the fire.

At this time, fire officers are continuing their investigations, processing the scene to ascertain the cause of the blaze. Our Operations, Health and Safety, and Business Continuity teams are working very closely with fire officers and other relevant authorities (police, insurance and the health department) as investigations continue into the matter.

Managing Director of Massy Stores, Martin Dorville, says, “This is a tough situation, coming at a time when the country and company are going through a difficult period brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are a very resilient, strong and supportive team. Our operational capabilities and resilience have been tested in the past, through the Christmas Eve Trough and Hurricane Tomas. With some of the lessons learnt on recovery and business continuity, and the agility of our team we will overcome this major hurdle.”

All other Massy Stores locations on island are open and ready to serve customers. Arrangements have been made for increased product and manpower at the other locations to manage customers and the additional traffic expected. The Waterfront store teams have been relocated to the other Massy Stores to ensure continuity of service.

Mr. Dorville says, “Once the investigations are complete and we have full access to the location, we will fast-track our efforts to get the store back in operation as quickly as is reasonably possible. The health, safety and welfare of team members are critical as we work towards this end. “

Given social distancing and the need to manage numbers in store, the operating hours of the Massy Boulevard store will be extended in the interest of customer satisfaction and safety. That store will operate up to 8pm during the week (instead of the usual 7pm) and through to 9 pm on Friday and Saturday. The Sunday hours at Massy Boulevard will remain the same until further notice.

Further updates on this matter will be provided as the investigations continue.