TAG fire confirmed as arson, says Chief Fire Officer
The fire that gutted approximately 20 vehicles at Tortola Auto Group (TAG) on the morning of Tuesday, October 15, has been confirmed as an act of arson, according to Chief Fire Officer Zebalon McLean.
Speaking to BVI News on Wednesday, Chief McLean explained that the Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue Services completed their investigation and determined that the fire was not accidental.
“We were not able to ascertain what was used to start the fire,” McLean stated. “If we had been able to get some samples and then match that to the colour of the plate, then we would have been able to.” He added that by the time the fire department arrived on the scene, the substance used to ignite the fire had already burned away.
The investigation focused on fire patterns and the intensity of the flames, which ruled out natural causes. “What we do is we look at the fire pattern and we look at the intensity of the flames, then of course, we have to look at precedent,” McLean explained.
He described examples of natural fire conditions, such as engines left running or flammable substances being exposed to prolonged heat. “Then we have no catalyst, no substance, and no materials, but all of a sudden something happened — it could not have happened naturally,” he said.
While the exact substance used to start the fire remains unknown, McLean expressed confidence that the perpetrators could still be identified. “For one thing, a lot of people don’t realize that there are a lot more cameras set up in the BVI around businesses than there have been in the past,” he noted. He also cited the possibility of eyewitness accounts or personal items left behind by the culprits.
TAG Director Shan Mohamed, when contacted by BVI News, confirmed he already suspected arson but declined to provide further comment. He previously stated that the vehicles were insured, ensuring minimal disruption to the business. He estimated the fire began around 2:30 a.m. and praised the Fire and Rescue Services for their swift response, as well as TAG staff who helped save numerous vehicles.
The matter has now been handed over to the police for further investigation.
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Wow, months later, that is their final conclusion.
BVI Love!! Never forwards, ever backwards!
Perpetrators you say. Hahahaha! Like everything here, no one will be caught. In a few months it will be forgotten. news sites will move on to give CSC his weekly dose of fame, and crimes at every level continue to go unsolved and then subsequently forgotten!
The one group (the media) who can bring light and life to these unsolved cases on a regular basis fail in their duty to the people as always! Especially unsolved murders here!
Back there look like a dump them burnt cars going fit in between all them old cars back there..i dont know how other business could operate in those conditions
Check to see who recieves the cheque
no cameras for the inventory lot?
Something about this whole situation doesn’t sit right. S.M. owns both the dealership and an insurance company, and now these flood-damaged vehicles mysteriously go up in flames? He’s the only one who seems to benefit from this. On top of that, the cars conveniently get moved closer to the dealership after the fire? It’s all just too convenient to ignore. This really makes you wonder what’s going on behind the scenes, this is the gang RVIPF needs to look into!
Good luck getting the claim paid out if they insure with *
The insurance owns the lot, so they will get paid 100%, but the little man on the street get in a little accident and they write off his vehicle and offer him peanuts and say they looked at the “kelly Blue Book”
Fire will burn dem.
You can’t put NOTHING past those people who own in it. If you look in the dictionary for the meaning of FRAUD…..
Usurper is back
Thats just a little bit of what going on in the country , / it’s called CLANDESTINE CORRUPTION , and a lot of things are swept under the RUG – so the criminal minds are getting more sophisticated as well as PROTECTED ( these are the things that “JUDGE WIGO ” should be FOCUSED on , but he and his EGO is only interested
in SPEWING OUT RACISM TO CREATE DRAMA / he is a real drama Queen ●
If the COI wasn’t happening the Fire Chief would have said this was an act of god lightning or something. So you trying tell us somebody was so distraught with TAG that they decided to burn cars? This bee an insurance BUST OUT.
Seems like the unknown arsonists in the BVI are keeping busy burning expensive chattels.
funny how they insured bet if it was an other car compnay they would have said they not covered by fire insurance…but urs just insured under that cat.
They are unsold 2024 models…2025 are already here
There are some dangerous individuals operating in our ‘business communities’ in the BVI. They now believe that their newfound ‘wealth’ and ‘societal status’ is enough to buy-out even the very institutions of justice. They are now becoming emboldened to act in unbelievable ways. These persons are callous, with no souls – it’s all about the almighty dollar and how much material possessions they can acquire all over our BVI. These cancers must be stopped before it is too late. Thankfully we have choices in the real business community. Let’s take a stand against such unscrupulous individuals parading as legitimate business owners by not supporting their financial empires that are being built on greed and corruption. These people are dangers to our society! Even a blind person can see through them!
Claim denied!