A large fire broke out Thursday evening just blocks from the Nassau Cruise Port, engulfing multiple buildings along Bay Street and destroying at least a dozen apartment-style homes.
The blaze started shortly after 8 p.m. local time on Thursday evening at the Victoria Court building and spread through the densely packed area into the early morning hours.
East Bay Street, where cruise passengers arrive in Nassau, is just 900 feet from the site.
According to an email sent to Cruise Radio’s tip line, several loud booms were heard as the fire moved from building to building.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force released an advisory on Friday morning that said: “According to the preliminary information, multiple buildings, including several abandoned structures, were affected as the fire spread across sections of Bay Street, Victoria Avenue, and Elizabeth Avenue. Firefighting efforts have continued into Friday and are ongoing, as officers work tirelessly to fully extinguish the flames.”
It continued: “One officer sustained injuries while combating the blaze and was transported to the hospital for medical treatment. The exact cause of the fire is currently unknown.”
One of the residences whose home caught fire belonged to the owner of Manila Grill, a well-known spot among crew members for Filipino cuisine during port calls.
The owners of Manila Grill posted a photo on Facebook with the message: “Please help us pray for a miracle to stop the fire. Lord we are asking for your hand to save our place, our home.”
At the time of the fire, Nassau reportedly operated with fewer fire trucks after sending several units to Freeport in late March to assist with brush fires.
Today, over 22,000 cruise guests are set to visit Nassau aboard the Disney Dream, Carnival Freedom, Celebration, MSC Seascape, and Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady.
