ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — More than 15 persons, including children, were left homeless as a result of a fire in Portmore Villa, St Catherine on Sunday, July 30. The fire is believed to be the work of arsonists.

According to the Portmore Criminal Investigations Branch, the victims were awoken by several men, some of whom were reportedly armed with rifles and handguns.

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The hoodlums allegedly kicked open the doors to the victims’ dwellings and took away their cellular phones. The gunmen then reportedly poured a substance, believed to be gasoline, inside the dwellings before setting all eight bedrooms on fire.

The police and fire department were alerted and on their arrival, three premises were seen engulfed in flames. Cooling down operations were conducted; however, the estimated damage is not yet ascertained.

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No injuries were reported.

The assailants managed to escape but the police have vowed to increase their presence in the area.

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“The police will be increasing their presence in the area and we ask all law-abiding citizens to cooperate with the joint military operatives. The St Catherine South police will not relent in their efforts and we will continue to conduct operations to reduce the opportunities for criminals to commit crimes,” said Superintendent of Police Hopton Nicholson, acting divisional commander for the St Catherine South Division.

In the meantime, investigators are appealing to anyone with information that can assist them with identifying these men to contact them at 876-949-8403, Police 119 emergency number, Crime Stop at 311 or the nearest police station.