WATCH: Man arrested over endangering life after double arson attack of caravan and address in Gosport still under investigation

A “big pop” was heard before a caravan exploded into flames around 6am in Mumby Road on October 3. Large flames and smoke poured out from the mobile home close to a block of flats and an Aldi supermarket, as reported. No one was injured in the blaze.

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Hours earlier at around 2am police and fire crews attended a blaze in a stairwell of an address in The Anchorage. Again no one was hurt. Police revealed at the time a 35-year-old man had been arrested over The Anchorage incident. The force later confirmed that the same man had also been arrested over the Mumby Road caravan blaze.

The suspect was bailed until January 3 but has had that extended until next month on February 8 as enquiries continue. A police spokesman previously said: “We received a report of an arson incident in Mumby Road, where a caravan had been set alight. This followed another arson incident in The Anchorage, where a small fire was set in a stairwell of a block of flats before being extinguished.

“A 35-year-old man from Portsmouth has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of arson with intent to endanger life, using threatening or abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment or alarm or distress, racially or religiously aggravated fear or provocation of violence by words or writing, and racially or religiously aggravated common assault. He has been bailed until 3 January while enquiries continue.”

Firefighters rushed to the scene and put out the caravan blaze in just over an hour. A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “The vehicle was destroyed in the fire which was extinguished by firefighters in breathing apparatus using hose reels and jets. The fire is believed to have been set deliberately and the scene was handed over to police officers. HIWFRS returned to station shortly before 7am.”

Residents revealed how the caravan suddenly erupted in flames with it “lucky” no one was hurt. Mitch Rea, who was making his way to work, said: “A heard a big pop and then (the caravan) collapsed. It happened close to flats and the Aldi. It was lucky the wind was blowing the other way. If the flames got any closer to the flats the windows would have melted. It was very intense.”