JAMAICA - Jamaica has seen an uptick in arson attacks, with victims of the criminal offence increasing by nearly 50 per cent in 2024 to the highest recorded in at least a decade.
According to data from the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), there were 115 suspected or confirmed incidents of arson in 2024, a seven per cent increase compared to the previous year. The majority of these fires involved residential properties, followed by commercial buildings including churches.
The parish of Westmoreland recorded the highest number of arson attacks, with 24 cases, followed by Kingston and St Andrew with 14, Portland with 12, St Elizabeth with 11, and Hanover with 10. Similarly, statistics from the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Statistics and Information Management Unit showed that 2024 recorded the highest number of arson victims in at least 10 years, with 110 individuals affected, 62 males and 48 females. It represented a 49 per cent increase over 2023, when there were 74 victims.
The Kingston Central police division reported the highest number of victims at 23, followed by Clarendon with 15 and St Andrew North with 13. Commissioner of the JFB, Stewart Beckford, told the Jamaica Observer that domestic disputes are behind many of the fires. “One of the contributing factors that we believe sometimes drives these instances is domestic disputes, particularly in Westmoreland. People seem unwilling to sit down and talk things through. Instead, they quickly resort to drastic measures. These incidents often arise from relationships that have soured, where one partner chooses to take revenge by setting fire to a home,” Beckford explained.
Just last month, a St Ann man was charged with arson after he allegedly set fire to the home of another resident in his community with whom he was having an ongoing dispute.
Evan Whiter of Fort George was charged following a police investigation into the incident dating back to April 2024. “Individuals involved in criminal activity may use fire to destroy evidence and hinder police investigations. They might shoot or stab someone, then set the premises alight. However, through collaborative investigations between ourselves and the police, we often uncover that the fire did not cause the death, but rather that the victim was murdered prior to the blaze,” Beckford further outlined. (Jamaica Observer/ Ramon Thompson)
