Head of the ministerial committee for the Fifth Summit of the
Americas and Minister of Trade Mariano Browne, speaks with
reporters yesterday, after a power outage forced an evacuation at
the International Financial Centre. Photo: Keith Matthews

Panic erupted yesterday at the International Financial Centre in Port-of-Spain, when the building in which the National Secretariat of the Fifth Summit of the Americas is located was evacuated, after a power failure. People got stuck in elevators, as others made a “mad rush” for the emergency exits, said a man who was on the 13th floor at the time. However, the incident was later described as an “unofficial and unscripted fire drill,” by head of the ministerial committee for the summit, Minister of Trade Mariano Browne.

“What we had today was an unofficial, unscripted test of how the system would work and I am pleased to say that the system performed, and that all the necessary responses you would require in such a situation took place and we are happy about that,” he said. “I won’t say that I am happy with the event, but let’s just say that we know the systems are working and they are okay.” Browne also described the incident as an error. “Like everything this an error...One of the things that would go wrong,” he said. “This is an error where we have a cable being cut, affecting current to the premises.”

Browne, however, made it clear that should a similar situation occur during the summit, all security mechanism would be activated. “One would hope that the fire alarms do not go off during the summit, but if we have an emergency situation, before any official event starts there is normally an Osha drill with respect to emergency evacuation procedures, which is part of the law,” he said. “In such an instance, if such a thing were to happen, we would be forced to go into emergency mode and do what is required in accordance with the existing procedures.” The drama broke out shortly before 5 pm, while officials of T&TEC were conducting excavating works along St Vincent Street, near South Quay. During the process, a cable supplying electricity to the IFC was cut, Browne said.

The minister said between 1,000 and 2,000 people, including members of the international media and the secretariat were ordered to evacuate the building by fire officials who arrived at the scene some 20 minutes later. Browne said fire officers were not sure as to what was actually happening, hence their late response. US Ambassador for the Organisation of America States (OAS) Hector Morales was also at the centre when the evacuation was ordered. “After the electricity was cut, T&TEC switched us onto an alternative supply, and power was restored,” Browne said.

“In the meantime, the engineers in charge of the generator took the opportunity to test the generators, so within that period, electricity went and came a few times, because of the testing of the generators.” He said as a result, alarms went off and on a couple floors. “So what we had was a full response by the fire brigade and the protective services,” he said. “The building was cleared and swept to ensure everything was okay...We had officials from T&TEC, as well as building engineers, and they were clear that there was no damage, no electrical fire and that everything should return to normal.”