Arson suspected in two Much Wenlock fires
Two suspicious fires occurred within minutes of each other in Much Wenlock last night, raising serious concerns about deliberate arson.
The first incident, reported at 9.57pm, involved a pickup truck at the Much Wenlock Leisure Centre. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service dispatched a fire appliance from Much Wenlock to tackle the blaze.
Firefighters, equipped with breathing apparatus and hosereel jets, successfully extinguished the vehicle fire. The fire service's assessment that the ignition was deliberate, prompted an immediate request for police attendance.
Almost simultaneously, at 9.58pm, a second fire was reported on Farley Road.
This time, the incident involved a petrol off-road trail bike. A fire appliance from Tweedale was mobilised to the scene. Similar to the first incident, firefighters used a hosereel jet to extinguish the blaze.
This fire was also believed to be a case of deliberate ignition, and police were again requested to attend.
The close proximity in time and location of these two fires, coupled with the fire service's assessment of deliberate ignition in both cases, strongly suggests a coordinated act of arson.
