Warning arsonists are risking lives after Oswestry blaze
Firefighters are to launch a major anti-arson awareness programme after warning lives could have been lost when a fire was deliberately started in a town centre.
The move comes as police revealed today that a second fire was started at about the same time as the arson attack which forced staff at the British Heart Foundation shop in Oswestry to evacuate the premises.
That fire led to three members of staff having to have treated for smoke inhalation.
West Mercia Police said two bins were set alight on two separate locations on Wednesday, between 10am and 1.30pm.
The first was at the rear of the British Heart Foundation store in the Clawdd Du alleyway which caused significant damage to the bin and some damage to an external building.
The second fire occurred at the neighbouring street, Willow Street, where a member of the public saw a bin "smoking" and was extinguished by fire officers before it could properly take hold.
Oswestry fire station crew manager Tim Davidson said the service was linking both incidents and said any further arson attacks could result in tragedy, particularly because of the large number of multi-occupancy buildings in the town centre.
Mr Davidson said: "The fires were too close to each other to be a coincidence and they were more than likely linked.
"That is a huge concern for us as a fire service because there is a potential here for loss of life.
"We are launching a public awareness programme on this because of the dangers such fires can pose.
"It is not just business premises being damaged, there is a real risk to life, particularly in the town centre where there is multi-occupancy buildings where you have businesses on the ground floor but people living on the floors above.
"We have to be proactive on this which is why we will be going around the town and liaising with businesses, particularly businesses which store their bins close to their premises, to see if we can find a way to reduce the risk of arson.
"We are looking at a multi-agency approach where we are working with the council and the police and the business community."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 0222S of July 23, 2014, orCrimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
