Charge d’ Affaires of the US Embassy Karen Williams yesterday decided to suspend official business at the embassy’s Duke Street, Kingston offices while the fire was still raging.

An embassy official broke the news to persons waiting outside the embassy. The official announced that scheduled appointments would be postponed to a later date and urged persons assembled to watch the embassy’s website.

He said the appointments are not cancelled, but simply postponed and that the embassy would post a notice on its website by today.

Since the US Embassy is close to the hospital, the official said, a decision was taken to call off the appointments. He said embassy officials were concerned for the safety of their staff.

“You certainly heard the explosions,” he noted.