Spate of car blazes in Telford leaves neighbours in fear but police say they are not linked
Residents have told how they feel scared in their neighbourhood and want to move house after a spate of car fires across Telford and Wrekin.
A luxury Mercedes C Class in Newport was the latest vehicle to be set ablaze in the region.
It was the sixth car fire in 10 days in the borough. Police say they do not believe the fires are linked and are investigating them separately.
The Newport fire happened in The Smithfields, close to the town centre, at about 8.30pm on Friday evening.
A neighbour said this incident and a recent break-in at a neighbouring property had left him fearing for his family, and he wants to move away.
“I think it must not have been an accident,” he said. “It’s got bad round here.
"There was a break-in at one of our neighbours recently. I think I am going to try and move from here.
“The fire brigade got here 10 minutes after the fire started but the car was already gone.”
Another neighbour said police requested his CCTV footage, but there was no battery in the camera.
On the Newport fire, a spokesman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 8.27pm on Friday, January 7, SFRS Fire Control received a call reporting a car fire in Newport. Two breathing apparatus and one hose reel jet in use. Police and fire investigation mobilised due to doubtful origin. One fire appliance was mobilised from Newport. A fire investigation officer was in attendance.”
That blaze followed a series of car fires in the Telford area.
Last Thursday night, a car was “deliberately” set ablaze in Barnes Corner, Leegomery.
The previous Sunday, there was a car fire outside the Whitehouse Hotel in Wellington. Far-right activist Tommy Robinson claimed on social media that it was his car that was blown up in a petrol bomb attack.
The previous Thursday, crews dealt with car fires where flames spread from cars to buildings in Merlin Coppice and Thornton Park Avenue. Both were being treated as arson but were not believed to be linked.
There was another fire two days earlier in Glendale area of Lawley Village. Fire investigators were looking into the cause of the blaze.
A West Mercia Police spokeswoman said: "We’re continuing to take steps to reassure the local community in Telford following a number of car fires.
"On Friday, 7 January, a car was set on fire in Newport. It is believed the car was set on fire deliberately.
"Over the past few weeks there have been a number of other incidents where cars have caught fire, however, the incidents are not believed to be linked and are being investigated separately."
