Firefighters are investigating a blaze which caused an estimated $275,000 of damage to the empty home of union leader Ed Ball and a neighbouring apartment.

The blaze caused severe heat and smoke damage to several rooms at the property in Fractious Drive, Hamilton parish yesterday morning.

It is believed to have started in one of the bedrooms and burned through the floor into the garage below, narrowly missed igniting paint thinners and WD40 which could have caused an inferno.

Foul play has not been ruled out.

The call arrived at 7.46 a.m. and the first fire engine arrived around ten minutes later.

Lieutenant Dana Lovell said crews had to force entry into the empty apartment.

?Our firefighters encountered a fully developed fire, heat and smoke bursting out,? he said.

?We know the owner is off the Island. The house is locked up tight.?

The blaze was under control within 20 minutes and extinguished within 45 minutes.

He said the Island had been hit by a spate of house fires recently including an incident in White Sands Road, Paget, on Thursday, a Sound View Road, Somerset blaze on Friday and a fire at a derelict house in Cedar Hill, Warwick early yesterday morning.

?I don?t think there is anything untoward,? Lt. Lovell added.