‘Report Deliberate Firestarters’ Appeal After Five Fires In Gwersyllt

North Wales’ Arson Reduction Team is appealing to residents to help them stamp out deliberate fire starting following a spate of fires in the Gwersyllt area of Wrexham over recent days.

Firefighters were called to five incidents in three days – firstly, crews were called to two deliberate fires, which are believed to be related, at a derelict barn on Dodds Lane, Gwersyllt at 7:25pm last Friday 17th April, and again on Saturday evening, 18th April, at 8:15pm.

They were then called to a deliberate fire involving a wheelie bin at 11:08pm that same evening on Alyn Road.

At 4:33pm on Sunday 19th April, crews were called to Delamere Avenue, Gwersyllt to a deliberate fire involving 15 – 20 square metres of grass and trees, and on Monday 20th April at 9pm they were called to tackle a deliberate fire involving 1 square metre of domestic waste at Bryn Coed.

Kevin Jones, Arson Reduction Team Manager, said: “This type of antisocial behaviour is completely unacceptable and we’re appealing to members of the community to report these deliberate firestarters.

“Luckily at these incidents no one was injured. But the chances of the firestarters themselves or innocent on lookers being hurt is extremely high in these situations.

“Deliberate fires place tremendous pressure on resources, with our crews tied up for a considerable length of time trying to bring them under control which delays them from attending other life threatening incidents.

“I am appealing to parents to be more aware of the whereabouts of their children and impress upon them the important message that deliberate fires endanger lives.

“It could be you or a member of your family that requires our assistance and we may not be able to get to you as quickly or as easily as we would like because we have to deal with a deliberate fire.

“Setting fires is a criminal offence and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is actively working alongside North Wales Police to combat deliberate incidents, leafleting local residents to appeal for information, local PCSOs will be making house to house enquiries, and Arson boards featuring the Crimestoppers number have also been erected in the area.

“I would appeal to anyone with information on such activities to report it to North Wales Police.”

You can follow the campaign to reduce deliberate fires on our social media by following #helpstopdeliberatefires and on the website www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk

Anyone with information on such crimes is advised to anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or contact police via the 101 number.

Pic: Archive of fire training.