A fire believed to be the work of an arsonist destroyed a home at Bartica yesterday and police have since arrested a man with ties to the building.

The man has since been admitted to the Bartica hospital under police guard, and police say he is suspected to have ingested a poisonous liquid.

In a press release last night police said the fire completely destroyed the two-storey house at Mora Camp, Bartica/Potaro Road at about 3.15 pm. While the man has been detained efforts are being made to locate his reputed wife who resided at the home.