Arson suspected following fires at two blocks of flats in Amersham

Suspected arson attacks took place at two blocks of flats in Amersham during the early hours of Saturday 8th April 2017.

At 4.09am firefighters were called to fires in the communal bin cupboards on the ground floor of two separate blocks of flats in Park Place, Amersham. The fires caused smoke-logging to upper floors of blocks of flats.

One fire appliance with crew attended from Amersham fire station, one from Beaconsfield fire station, two from High Wycombe fire station and one from Maidenhead fire station. Three officers also attended the incident.

A hose reel and two sets of breathing apparatus were used during the operation to extinguish the fire.

The fires are believed to have been started deliberately. In one of the fires a mattress was set alight and in the other the contents of a wheelie bin were set on fire.

As a result of the fire some residents were evacuated but were able to return to their homes soon afterwards.

Officers from Thames Valley Police attended the scene and put scene watches in place in order to carry out an investigation and to protect residents from harm.

Investigating officer, PC Richard Stephens, based at Amersham police station, said: ‘These fires could easily have caused people to be seriously injured, as they were started in communal bin areas directly below and adjacent to occupied flats where residents would have been asleep at the time.

Had the fires continued to grow and spread, residents on the upper floors could have become trapped.

We suspect that the two fires were started almost simultaneously and due to their proximity it is likely that the same offender or offenders are responsible for them both.

It is possible that a resident on one of the upper floors may have seen or heard something immediately prior to the incident, so I am appealing for anyone who has any information which they think could help our investigation to please call the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number on 101.’

Police are appealing for anyone with information that could help with their enquiries in relation to the case to please call 101 quoting reference ‘43170102171’ or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.