Belco has commissioned an independent review into the cause of last Thursday's fire at the Bermuda Electric Light Company which plunged the Island into darkness.

Belco Holdings Ltd. chairman Michael Collier said a world-leading firm was being paid by Belco to see what went wrong at Belco in the early hours of last Thursday.

"Ea Technology Limited of the United Kingdom has been contracted to carry out the technical investigation and is scheduled to have a representative visit the Belco site on Wednesday," Mr. Collier said at a Press conference yesterday. "The review will include a complete investigation as to the cause of the fire and associated aspects of the event, specifically those relevant to all system and plant issues."

Mr. Collier said a special five-man committee of the board of directors had been established to oversee the review and present a report to the entire board of directors following its completion.

"The public will be made aware of the findings once completed and reviewed by the board," Mr. Collier said.

At a Press conference at Belco yesterday afternoon, Mr. Collier insisted the review would be independent.

Mr. Collier, who is a past president and CEO of the Bank of Butterfield, will be on the directors' committee overseeing the review alongside deputy chairman Reginald Minors, who is also president of Tools & Equipment Unlimited; Gavin Arton, of XL Capital; Peter Durhager, of Renaissance Re Holdings; and Stanley Oliver, a retired head of the civil service. "It is with a highly recognised firm and we believe their findings will give us this factory review and report as to the findings and the cause and how we proceed in the future," he said.

He said Belco would pay for the review but he did not know how much it cost.

"The cost really is irrelevant," Belco chief executive officer Garry Madeiros added.

After calling for an independent inquiry yesterday, former Home Affairs Minster Quinton Edness congratulated Mr. Collier and the board for stepping forward. "I commend them for moving swiftly and think it's right they should make the review public," Mr. Edness said.

"But there is only one thing I suggest when they get the report: they should send a copy of the report to the Premier who represents the people of Bermuda so he can be appraised of what kind of recommendations the review might make.

"I would have preferred it to be completely independent and have Government or someone else pay for it," Mr. Edness said. "But I will accept the integrity of Mr. Collier and the board members. They will ensure the review is a fair, independent, no-holds-barred review and whatever comes out of it will be put to the public."

Premier Alex Scott said yesterday Government supported the investigation.

"It's our responsibility to ensure the public interest is always safeguarded and support an investigation," he said.

But asked whether the time was now up for monopolistic utility companies in Bermuda, the Premier said it was too early to say. "Once we have a full investigation into what transpired we will have a better understanding what might be required to serve Bermuda in the future, regarding energy and electrical power," Mr. Scott said.