JUTC offers $1 million reward as CCTV links one suspect to two CNG bus fires

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) has released onboard surveillance footage and is offering a $1 million reward as investigators pursue a suspect believed to have deliberately set fire to two of the company's compressed natural gas buses in crowded transport hubs over the past two years.

Managing director Owen Ellington said the most recent attack occurred on May 30, 2026, when a brand-new CNG bus was destroyed after being set ablaze at the Spanish Town lay-by sometime after 4:00 p.m. The loss carries an estimated replacement cost of US$200,000 and has removed capacity for 55 seated and 25 standing passengers per trip — 75 passengers in total — across as many as six daily runs, disrupting service for commuters.

Ellington warned that the fire posed a severe safety risk because the vehicle used explosive CNG fuel in a busy transport centre. Had gas cylinders ruptured in the crowded bus park, he said, the consequences could have been catastrophic. A similar attack about two years earlier targeted a Golden Dragon CNG bus at the Halfway Tree Transportation Centre; on that occasion, swift action by the driver limited damage before the fire was extinguished. Both buses were empty when they caught fire, and no injuries or deaths were reported.

After technical reviews of onboard CCTV with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Fire Brigade, investigators believe the same man appears in footage from both incidents. JUTC general manager for franchise protection and inspection Mark Dylan said the suspect boarded the Spanish Town-bound bus in downtown Kingston around 2:43 p.m., paid his fare in cash, remained on board after other passengers left the lay-by, ignited an object, and fled before flames engulfed the vehicle. Surveillance images show him wearing a familiar hat and strap bag at both scenes, though he wore a different jersey during the 2026 attack.

The police commissioner has assigned a dedicated task force to the case, but investigators have not yet established the suspect's identity. JUTC and the JCF agreed to release selected footage to encourage public cooperation without compromising the inquiry. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crimestop at 311, the nearest police station, or the JUTC Security Department.