POLICE investigations into the circumstances surrounding a siege at Portland on Saturday morning are continuing.
Sergeant Gavin Slade said the siege situation started just after midnight Friday. "It took us quite a while to work out what was going on. It was initially sparked by a dispute between two men at a Bolwarra Court address," he said.
"The dispute escalated and it is alleged one man and two of his friends forced entry to the house. When police officers arrived we were met by three people outside the address."
Sergeant Slade said one of the men alleged a man in the house had a handgun and claimed he was threatened with the weapon inside the home.
Police then cordoned off and contained the area and evacuated the three people who had been assisting police officers.
Police then used the services of regional negotiator Sergeant Martin Flannery to try and speak to the occupants of the house.
The incident started at 12.10am and it took about 90 minutes for the negotiator to get communications established with three occupants of the house - two men and a woman - who were unaware of the allegations of them possessing a handgun.
They allowed the police to search the home and no firearm was located. Police then resumed talks with the three men they initially talked to after the occupants of the home alleged they were the victims of assault and burglary.
Police investigations are continuing and it is expected charges will be laid.