Arson suspected in uni fire

THE PNG Fire Service is suspecting Friday’s fire at the University of PNG (UPNG) to be a case of arson.
The service responded to the fire at the PNG Games Village accommodation in Port Moresby where mattresses were damaged but no one was injured.
Chief fire officer Bill Roo said the fire was contained.
“We are suspecting arson, but investigations will continue to confirm that,” Roo said.
He said the fire may have started at around 6.40am on the ground floor of an eight-unit apartment.
The fire started in a store room with mattresses inside, he said.
“Only mattresses were damaged.”
Some students initially managed to use fire extinguishers and hoses to put to fire out.
“The fire service was informed by Uniforce Security Services and they responded and saved the rest of the apartments, partly it is due to the structure of the building itself,” Roo said.
“There are fire-ready walls so the fire was confined to one apartment only.”
UPNG media office could not comment on the incident as investigations by the PNG Fire Service were continuing.
Meanwhile, Roo said while UPNG had been seeing a lot of its condemned and old buildings up in flames, it was important to be fire cautious.
“There are so many old buildings not only at UPNG, but around the city.
“Yes, we are concerned about the old buildings,” he said.