56 Homes Set On Fire In Just 12 Months
Arsonists are putting lives at risk by torching 56 derelict homes on a city estate in just 12 months at a cost of more than a quarter-of-a-million pounds.
Firefighters say more than £280,000 has been spent since May last year tackling fires in empty houses in Pennywell which have been earmarked for demolition.
Crews say 23 of blazes have been on homes in just one street ? Pickering Road.
Nearby Portslade Road and Pickhurst Road have suffered 11 attacks between them, while Palmerstone Road, Swiftden Drive and Nightingale Close have also been repeatedly targeted.
Alfie Moon, Watch Manager of Sunderland's Arson Task Force, says firestarters are costing the service a fortune and risking their lives with every house they torch.
He said: "Each building that is set on fire costs us around £5,000 and in the last year we've had 23 fires in one street so that's cost about £115,000, which is a tremendous waste of resources."
The former council homes are now owned by Sunderland Housing Group and are due to undergo a multi-million-pound redevelopment.
But firestarters are using the homes to get their kicks and are putting lives at risk.
Mr. Moon added: "The kids are breaking into the houses through the shutters or they are taking bricks out of the walls and getting in that way.?
"They are putting their lives in a lot of danger because for health and safety reasons we don't go into derelict houses. If someone gets trapped inside there's no way we would know they were inside because as a rule we don't go in."
"If we knew someone was trapped inside we would try to get them out, but the buildings are in disrepair and often the roofs are about to cave in. Someone will end up seriously hurt or dead eventually."
Hoax callers have also targeted the area putting lives at risk by falsely claiming there's yet another blaze on the estate.
On Wednesday, North Moor's two fire engines were called to Presthope Road after a report that a building was on fire, but when they arrived there was no blaze.
At the same time, a house fire started just minutes away from the station, but because they were tied up at Pennywell another crew from Sunderland City Centre had to attend, taking them vital extra minutes to get there.
Watch Manager Neil Moran, of North Moor, said: "Malicious false alarms cost lives and drag resources away from proper incidents. Someone could have been seriously injured or could've been killed."
Mr Moon says his team are working with community police officers and Sunderland Housing Group to step up patrols in a bid to tackle the problem.
Susan Watson, Councillor for Pennywell, said: "I am shocked at the cost of these arson attacks. It's ridiculous and I don't see why taxpayers should have to pick up the bill, but it's always us who get hit with the cost of crime."
Inspector John Parish, said: "There is a small minority of individuals who for whatever reason get their pleasure out of getting in to these vacant properties, stealing copper pipes and boilers before setting fire to them. It's happening more and more and it's a very worrying trend. But we have dedicated community police teams who are patrolling the area."
Source: Sunderland Echo.uk
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