PORTLAND, Jamaica — The owner of a six apartment house that was destroyed by fire in Cornwall Barracks, Rio Grande Valley in Portland early Monday, suspects that his home was deliberately torched.

While there are no reports of anyone being injured, it is said that a shop and two motor vehicles were also destroyed in the blaze. The fire department estimates loss at $6 million dollars but Patrick Harris, who owned the premises believes his assets were worth $8 million.

Reports are that the community was without electricity and a generator was been used to supply power at the time the fire, which started about 1:00 am. A ‘setup’ was also in progress.

Harris told OBSERVER ONLINE that he strongly believes someone set the place on fire.

“How can the Delco (generator) develop problem and the light in a the shop not even dim. A the Delco light we a use fi catch water. A man light the place a fire last night, a man light it” an irate Harris said.

“Is no way the Delco do it, a somebody do it. It set me back but mi not going to stop mi a tell dem. The place burn down in less than twenty minutes, it is arson a somebody do it. The light would have cut off” a convinced Harris added.

Four people occupied the house, which was made of board and concrete. A Toyota motor bus and a Nissan motor car were destroyed by the fire.

The Port Antonio Fire Department carried out cooling down operations and said it will return to investigate the cause of the fire.

Everard Owen