JFB Reports Decline in Residential Fires

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) has reported a mixed trend in structural fires across the island for 2025, with commercial building fires showing a marginal increase, while residential fires recorded a slight decline.

Commissioner, JFB, Stewart Beckford, told JIS News that of the 11,048 genuine fire calls received last year, 1,555 or 14 per cent were structural fires.

“We responded to 1,163 residential fires, which represents 75 per cent of the structural fires that we would have responded to last year. There was a marginal decrease in residential fires, moving from 1,227 in 2024 to 1,163, a decrease of 5.2 per cent,” said Commissioner Beckford.

In contrast, commercial building fires totalled 392 for 2025.

“This represents 25 per cent of all structural fires. There was a marginal increase in commercial building fires of about 3.7 per cent, when compared to the 378 responded to in 2024,” said Commissioner Beckford.

He further informed that of the total number of structural fires recorded in 2025, the Kingston and St. Andrew Division accounted for the highest number – 325 or 21 per cent.

“Of that amount, 251 or 77.3 per cent were residential and 74 or 22.7 per cent were commercial. This represents an overall increase in the number of structural fires, which moved from 317 in 2024 to 325 in 2025 for the Kingston and St. Andrew Division,” said the Commissioner.

Commissioner Beckford also indicated that the St. Catherine Division recorded the second highest number of structural fires, with 257 incidents. However, this represented a decrease of about 26 per cent when compared to the previous year, with residential fires accounting for 75 per cent of that total.

“The Portland Division recorded the lowest number of structural fires. They recorded 46 or three per cent of the total. Of that amount, 31 or 67.4 per cent were residential and 15 or 32.6 per cent were commercial fires,” Commissioner Beckford told JIS News.

The division also recorded the lowest number of structural fires in 2024.

Meanwhile, as the JFB continues to carry out fire-prevention activities, Commissioner Beckford said that the Fire Safety, Prevention and Investigation Branch conducted a total of 11,228 building inspections across the island.

“Commercial buildings were the greatest contributors to the total number of buildings inspected in 2025, which stood at 71 per cent or just about 8,000,” he said, noting that the commercial buildings inspected include offices, hotels, shops, clubs, bars, among others.

He further indicated that 2,989 institutions, including hospitals, schools and churches were inspected, while 188 residential buildings, including multi-family homes and apartment buildings were inspected last year.

“Of the 11,228 buildings that we inspected, 2,436 were certified,” said Commissioner Beckford, adding that 597 building plans were approved while 408 subdivision plans were approved in 2025.