RSIPF investigates burning of Aola Police post

Officers of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) at the Henderson Police Station are investigating the burning down of the Aola Police Post in East Guadalcanal on 17 October 2020.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Guadalcanal Province Chief Superintendent Alfred Uiga says, “According to an initial report by a team of officers from Henderson and Tetere Police stations who travelled to Aola to investigate the incident, the fire could have been caused by a solar power battery and inverter inside the building. But investigations will continue to confirm this or otherwise.”

“Unfortunately the building was burnt to the ground destroying all the police records but fortunately no one was injured in the fire.”

“The police officer who was on duty at the police post at the time of the fire had locked the building and went out to look for a complainant to register his case when his wife and children living near the post raised the alarm. Unfortunately, the officer and some villagers were not able to save the building or anything in it. However they managed to stop the fire from spreading to a nearby police residence,” PPC Uiga explains.

He adds, “Investigations will continue into the incident to establish the actual cause of the fire.”

“I appeal to any member of the public who may have been in the vicinity of the police post at Aola at the time of the incident to come forward with any information that will assist the investigation,” says PPC Uiga.