Corby residents urged to be vigilant after spike in deliberately started fires

An increase in the number of deliberately started fires in Corby is potentially putting lives at risk and residents are being urged to be vigilant.

Fire crews from Corby have been called to a growing number of arson incidents this month and, prior to this weekend, there had been eight incidents of deliberate fires being started in the las ten days.

Between November 8 and November 18 there were two incidents on consecutive days where recycling bins for clothes were targeted outside the Morrisons supermarket in Oakley Road.

Andy Evans is an officer in the arson task force, a joint partnership between Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service and Northamptonshire Police which investigates incidents of deliberate fire starting.

The task force had already been seeing an increase in deliberate fires in Kettering earlier this month and is concerned that Corby is following a similar path.

Mr Evans said: “We would urge any residents that see anything untoward to make sure they get in touch.

“We would also urge any young people who are engaging in this behaviour to think about the consequences of their actions. When young people start deliberately setting fires it can set in motion a path towards them being potentially prosecuted – which could really harm their future life and job prospects.

“More importantly they are not only putting the lives of our firefighters and members of public at risk, and potentially diverting us away from genuine emergencies, but they are also putting their own lives in danger.”

Other incidents have included a sofa on fire in Newark Drive; a trolley and wooden bench in Cottingham Road; a large industrial bin in Everest Lane; disposed carboard and laminate flooring at Gainsborough Court; and a small fire involving rubbish inside a car on Alexandra Road on November 18.

Meanwhile on Sunday (November 21) a mattress and bin were deliberately set on fire in Oakley Road, near the Shell garage, which required a hose reel jet to be used by firefighters to extinguish the flames. And yesterday (November 22) the Corby crew was called to West Glebe Park after a small quantity of fallen trees and foliage in wooded area were set on fire.

If you see a deliberate fire being started or it is currently in progress, call 999 and ask for the fire service. If you have information following an incident of arson, then you can call FireStoppers anonymously on 0800 169 5558.