8 Jan 2013

Police in Solomon Islands blame arsonists for fire at police station

2:05 pm on 8 January 2013

The police in Solomon Islands say they are not ruling out the possibility that fugitives could be linked to a fire that destroyed a village police station.

The police have conducted an initial assessment of the blaze in Babanakira on the Weather coast of Guadalcanal province and a team of officers is preparing for further investigations to determine the cause of the fire.

The Deputy Police Commissioner Walter Kola says police are not ruling out the possibility of it being linked to the recent escape of two inmates from Rove Prison in Honiara who are from the village.

He says the fire could have been started by arsonists.

"We have to focus our investigation more on arson. And there is no electricity in there. I don't think any light in there would burn the building. But again, it's still a matter that we are investigating."

Walter Kola says police are hoping members of the public can help them with their investigation.