Arson attacks falling in Mansfield and Ashfield says Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service

Statistics show that over the last year there were 197 deliberate fires in the Mansfield area – 15 per cent less than in the previous year in which there were 232 deliberate fires set.

Of the 197 deliberate fires, 26 involved property with insurable value - such as a house or vehicle – while the other 171 involved property with no insurable value such as grass, scrap or rubbish.

These figures have been released by NFRS as part of Arson Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday 9th May.

Louise Robinson, the service’s Mansfield and Ashfield Risk Reduction Officer, said: “Arson is a crime and along with police we actively investigate all deliberate fires.

“The figures for Mansfield and Ashfield show a decrease in incidents which is testament to the hard work of our community safety team; however we don’t want any fires being deliberately set at all.

“Deliberate blazes not only damage property but they can cause injury and potentially death – they also tie up firefighters time unnecessarily.”

The figures for Ashfield also show a decrease with 180 deliberate fires being reported in the last year, 30 per cent less than the previous year which saw 258 of these incidents occur.

In this area, 41 of the fires involved property with insurable value, while the remaining 139 were fires involving grass, rubbish, scrap and other items with no insurable value.

Louise Robinson added: “The culprits are often found and caught and we would highly recommend that people do not deliberately light fires that could potentially endanger another person”

“This is particularly relevant where grass, rubbish and scrap fires are concerned. What might seem like a bit of fun can quickly spread and we have a good record when it comes to finding out who caused the fires.”

Recent arson attacks reported in Chad:

http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/arsonists-torch-skegby-pub-1-6984128http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/arson-risk-at-derelict-flats-warn-mansfield-firefighters-1-7159231http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/boxing-day-fire-in-shirebrook-1-7021753http://www.chad.co.uk/news/crime/police-investigate-southwell-rugby-club-arson-1-6788015