Summit officials along with accredited delegates and media were forced to evacuate the National Secretariat’s headquarters, at the new International Waterfront Centre, when a fire alarm was triggered by generators, following a power outage at the building yesterday.

The incident occurred three days before United States President Barack Obama and 33 other Heads of State/Government are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Fifth Summit of the Americas, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Port of Spain.

The Express was speaking to a member of the Secretariat on the 3rd Floor of Tower C, when around 4.50 p.m., there was a power outage. Several minutes later the faint sound of an alarm was heard.

Those who heard the alarm-which blared on three of the lower floors of the 26-storey building-immediately headed towards the staircases while security alerted the others to evacuate.

People were seen walking swiftly down the two stair wells in a bid to get to the outdoor courtyard, which is located in the same compound as the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Several police, soldiers and fire officers attached to the National Secretariat started entering the building while others remained outdoors to manage the growing crowd and vehicular traffic.

As the crowd grew thicker, many confused faces were seen. Even some members of the security forces were not aware of what had happened.

Several ministers, including Health Minister Jerry Narace, Tourism Minister Joseph Ross, Public Utilities Minister Mustapha Abdul-Hamid and Social Development Minister Dr Amery Browne, were even seen walking around. American Ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS) Hector Morales was also present at the time.

The tension broke when a man, with a champagne glass in hand, filled water from the outdoor fountain and started drinking. He then started pouring the water on his head, causing the crowd to burst in laughter, before he was escorted off the compound by police. See Page 6.

Around 5.37 p.m. a fire appliance pulled up and a group of officers headed towards the building. The crowd was then asked to move from the courtyard into the water-taxi car park located on Wrightson Road

After being briefed by the forces, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne explained to the Express that the power outage was caused by ’an excavation error’ somewhere in the St Vincent Street, South Quay area.

’That is what we were informed by T&TEC,’ he said.

’Within 15 minutes power was restored to the building. T&TEC switched us on to an alternative supply so power was restored.

’But in the meantime the engineers in charge of the generators (which were commissioned on Monday) took the opportunity to test the generators so within that period electricity went and came a few times and because of the testing of the generators, alarms went off on three floors.’

Browne indicated that the building was given a thorough sweep by the Fire Service to ensure that everything was okay.

’We had on hand T&TEC engineers, as well as building engineers who were responsible for the generators and electrical supply for the building and they were clear that there was no damage, no electrical fire and that everything has returned to normal,’ he added.

’Fire officers went through the building to ensure that everything was okay and we have been given the all clear and everybody is now going back into the building.’

The opening ceremony of the Summit of the Americas is just two days away and Browne is hopeful that there will not be an event like this again.

’Well first of all it hasn’t happened during the course of the last four months that we have been occupying the building so like everything else, this is an error, one of Murphy’s Law where things will go wrong,’ he said.

’If such a thing was to happen we will be forced to go into emergency mode and do what is required and in accordance with the existing procedures. What we had today was if you want an unofficial, unscripted test of how the system would work and I am pleased to say that the system performed and all the necessary responses that you would require in such a situation took place. I won’t say that we are happy with the event, but let’s just say that we know that the systems are working and they are okay.’

Browne said before any official event there will be an Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) drill with respect to emergency evacuation procedures.

From around 6.05 p.m. the crowd was allowed to re-enter the building.

Next door at the Cruise Ship Complex aboard the Carnival Victory the Civil Society Forum was being opened by Prime Minister Patrick Manning.