Fire scorches part of Godet Island
A forest fire measuring 50 feet by 50 feet ripped through a small island off The Great Sound, shortly after 6 p.m. last night.
Both Bermuda Police Service and Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the blaze on Godet Island, which started around 6.03 p.m. Lieutenant Dana Lovell of the fire service said last night: "The first responding unit appeared with the Marine Police section.
"What's happened is Marine Police have taken fire fighters from Hamilton Police Station to the Island and they have already begun extinguishing the fire. The area of fire measured 50 feet by 50 feet."
A private boat owner, who called into The Royal Gazette an hour after the incident, saw massive clouds of smoke in the distance and admits he went to investigate. According to his statement, he and his wife were hosting tourists on their boat when they stumbled on the forest fire on a piece of uninhabited land, in the direction of Darrell's Wharf.
They motored towards the northern side of Godet Island and took photographs while Police and Fire Services attended the blaze.
The caller, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "I've never seen a forest fire in Bermuda. What I assume happened is, because we haven't had a lot of rain and when you get broken glass magnifying off the sun, eventually the (flower) needles, or paper, or whatever is under there, will ignite."
According to Lieutenant Lovell the fire affected a "fairly large area" of land, but with respect to who may be on the Island and how the fire started, he couldn't confirm.
He said a group of four fire fighters attended the blaze equipped with portable fire hoses and pumps and said "These pumps, although small in size, are capable of giving high pressure water that is needed to extinguish the fire. One person is capable of lifting these pumps."
A Police spokesman said: "Around 6:15 p.m. yesterday, Police received a report of a fire on Godet's Island. The Marine Police Unit and the Bermuda Fire & Rescue Service attended the scene. The fire was subsequently extinguished. Inquiries into the incident are underway."
