Belco Holdings Ltd. president and CEO Garry Madeiros yesterday downplayed reports that the company failed to act on a recent recommendation to install fire suppression equipment in the switching room which caught fire on Thursday.

When asked, Mr. Madeiros said the matter would be dealt with by the independent board which will probe the devastating blaze.

?I think the important thing is this report, that analysis, that investigation that?s what that investigation will raise,? Mr. Madeiros said.

?And that?s the whole aspect of it, to get it from someone who is independent to complete the review of what was in place, what wasn?t in place, what happened, and so we know factually, exactly what took place, how it took place and some causes and then we will remark from there.?

When probed further, chief operations officer Vincent Ingham said: ?The whole issue in terms of the event certainly will be addressed in the independent review.?

Neither Premier Alex Scott nor Minister of Health and Family Services Patrice Minors knew whether there were fire suppressers in the switch board room that exploded last Thursday.

The Ministry of Health and Family Services have already begun an investigation into the cause of the catastrophic fire through the Office of Health and Safety.