Staff face false fire alarm and power cut at GAB

(CNS): Public servants at the Government Administration Building in George Town faced a power cut and a false fire alarm on Monday. A power outage in the morning, blamed on CUC maintenance work, automatically triggered the emergency power generators, which powered the building for 30 minutes without any problems, officials said. Then around 1:45pm the fire alarm went off, and around 1,000 employees and guests had to be evacuated.

“The evacuation process was conducted in an orderly and efficient manner, demonstrating the government’s commitment to the safety and well-being of its employees,” a press release from the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure stated.

Following the evacuation, an investigation involving building managers and the Cayman Islands Fire Service found that a faulty sensor in an open-air environment in the basement was to blame. Officials also said that the “isolated incident did not impact the critical data centre or other essential infrastructure within the building”.

The two incidents demonstrated that the protocols and safety measures in place are all working well, the ministry said, noting that the GAB has state-of-the-art safety equipment to ensure the safety of everyone in the building. Specialised mobile chairs located in two stairwells on each floor were instrumental in assisting handicapped employees during the evacuation process.

Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks, who is responsible for the GAB, said he was happy with the safe and timely evacuation process implemented by the Facilities Management team.

“The safety of our employees remains our top priority, and today’s events have showcased our readiness to handle unexpected situations,” he said as he thanked the emergency response teams for their help.

“The Government of the Cayman Islands remains committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and emergency preparedness. We will continue to work diligently to ensure the well-being of our employees and the efficient functioning of our facilities,” a spokesperson for the ministry said in the release.