Jamaica Electricity Blackout Triggers JPS Response and Vaz Investigation Pledge

A widespread electricity failure cut service across Jamaica on Friday night, leaving the island without power for close to two hours and drawing a pledge from Energy Minister Daryl Vaz that the public would get an update on Saturday.

JPS said it had put its Incident Command Centre into operation and moved to bring customers back online while checking what caused the system breakdown. Vaz called the shutdown “unacceptable” and said the matter would face a full investigation.

In a separate development, the Jamaica Defence Force said firefighters brought a blaze at Up Park Camp under control after several units worked together. Officials have not said whether that fire had any link to the power failure.