Cosham youths believed to be behind fires on roof of Kings Carpets store and Northern Road roundabout outside fire station leading to police call-out

A total of six appliances from Cosham, Southsea, and Portchester fire stations were called to a small rubbish fire on the roof of Kings Carpets in Northern Road, Cosham, at 1.04am.

Firefighters from Cosham fire station spotted a pair of young women at the scene of the fire – and then discovered the same pair next to another rubbish fire on the roundabout outside their fire station in Wayte Street just over thirty minutes later.

The pair of young women fled the scene when spotted and were later spoken to by police, according to Cosham fire station watch manager Danny Manns.

Commenting on the first fire at the carpet store, he said: ‘The fire on the roof was very minor, but it could have had very different consequences.

‘It would have done some small damage to the roof, but it didn’t go through the superstructure.

‘Looking at the scale of the incident they weren’t trying to burn the city down – just cause a bit of nuisance.’

The firefighter said despite the damage being ‘very superficial’, the incidents meant fire crews were not on stand-by for other emergencies.

Firefighter Manns said: ‘The safety message that we need to get out is that mindless fire setting could have the potential to spread to other buildings and trap occupants.

‘And the Portsmouth area was left with little fire cover because of the incidents.’

Hampshire Constabulary have been contacted for further information about the incidents.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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