A SENIOR member of the fire service in Buff Bay, Portland, has dismissed allegations that a house belonging to a supporter of the People's National Party (PNP) was fire-bombed on Thursday.

George Brown, Fire Prevention Officer for Portland, said his team has seen nothing so far to suggest that the house was "fire-bombed". He stressed that there was no evidence that the cause of the fire was the work of arsonists.

"I know in this tense political climate persons will be inclined to make all kinds of statements, but we have to be very careful," he said. "What we have seen would suggest that there was some kind of electrical short circuit that is consistent with illegal connections," Brown explained.

"We are not making any conclusive statement as the investigation is still ongoing but we can safely say there is nothing to suggest any bombing as some persons have been alleging," he added.

The Portland police say they are also carrying out their own investigation.

Yesterday, it was alleged that persons connected to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was responsible for the fire.

This incident comes days before the by-election on March 23.

On Monday, constituents of West Portland will decide at the polls whether to give the JLP's Daryl Vaz the green light to represent them in Parliament or to send the PNP's Kenneth Rowe to Gordon House to bat on their behalf.