Fire at Cannock property was started deliberately

Jul 30 2010 Charlotte Paxton

Cannock police are probing the cause of a house fire in the town, after an investigation by the fire service revealed the blaze WAS started deliberately.

Fire crews were called to a house in Longford Road at around 1.45pm last Thursday, following reports of a blaze in a first floor bedroom.

A female in the property raised the alarm after fleeing to safety.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire using two hose jet reels, but the acrid smoke caused heavy damage to the first floor of the property.

Crews from Cannock and Penkridge took nearly two hours to tackle the blaze - leaving the scene at around 3.30pm.

Ian Broadhead, assistant area commander for Cannock, said: “The fire caused heat and heavy smoke damage on the first floor and light smoke damage on the ground floor.

“A fire investigation established the fire was started deliberately and the incident has now been left with the police.”