Another fire at Up Park Camp, probe launched

There was a fire at a barrack building at Up Park Camp, the headquarters of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), in St Andrew this afternoon.

In a statement, the JDF said the fire occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m.

The JDF said its fire unit and the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) responded swiftly and worked collaboratively to contain the blaze, which it said was extinguished at approximately 3:30 p.m.

The army said cool-down operations are ongoing.

The JDF said the cause of the fire remains undetermined.

The army said a formal investigation will commence as soon as the affected area has been declared safe for entry by the relevant authorities.

This is the second fire at the JDF in recent weeks.

A blaze destroyed a living quarters in June.

The JDF said it is aware of concerns regarding a second fire at Up Park Camp.

"We understand the public's concern, especially as this is the second incident in recent months. The JDF maintains diligent management systems and safety protocols across all facilities," the JDF said.

"The JDF thanks the responding fire units for their prompt action and will provide further updates as additional information becomes available."

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