Arsonists strike near Chesterfield flats

Firefighters and police have been called to Devonshire Close in the Newbold area of the town three times in the past two weeks following reports of fires being started deliberately.

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The most recent took place just after midnight on April 5 when a bin store was targeted.

Storage rooms at the flats are also thought to have been set alight at around 11.20pm on March 29 and between 5pm and 5.30pm on March 25.

Nobody is believed to have suffered any injuries but damage has been caused and officers are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incidents or with any information to get in touch.

Work is ongoing by police and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) to investigate and to try and prevent any future incidents.

Paul Hawker, DFRS group manager, said: “Setting a fire isn’t funny.

“Anything from a small grass fire to a building fire, no matter how large, can have far reaching consequences.

“Thankfully on these occasions, no one was injured, but fire can and does spread very quickly and the story could have been very different.

“Deliberate fires also take firefighters away from being available to attend real emergencies, emergencies where there may be a risk to life.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting 20*163021 and the name of the officer in the case, DC Elizabeth Cross.

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