‘It could have been far worse’: Peter Nash salesman speaks of relief that no-one was injured in arson attack at Hampshire car dealership

A SALESMAN at a car dealership which has been rocked by £200,000 arson attack has said: ‘It could have been far worse’.
Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.
Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.

Three vehicles on the forecourt of Peter Nash were destroyed after two people ‘poured petrol’ over them shortly before 5am this morning. 

Police are investigating the blaze at the luxury car dealership in Warsash Road, Warsash as an arson. 

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Speaking to The News following the fire, Ben Loveridge, 37, a salesman at Peter Nash said: 'We are devastated.

Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.
Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.

‘It is not good but there's no point being upset or moping about it.

'We will pick up the pieces and carry on. There's not much option.

'Nothing like this has ever happened to us before and I have been here for 20 years.’

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Arson probe after £200,000 worth of damage done in Warsash car dealership fire
Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.
Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.
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Mr Loveridge, who lives in the area, said that the dealership's CCTV cameras were able to catch the moment of the arson attack.

He explained: 'There were two people who got on to the forecourt, they attempted to smash the windows of one car but they couldn't because it had double glazing.

'So they smashed the windows on the one next to it and poured petrol over the car and set the fire.

'The big thing for me is that no one got hurt. The cars are only bits of metal after all.’ 

Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.
Pictures show the aftermath of a blaze in the early hours of May 3 at Peter Nash car sales garage in Warsash Road in Warash. Police are treating the fire as an arson.
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Despite three cars being affected by the blaze, causing an estimated £200,000 worth of damage, Mr Loveridge has said it could have been ‘far worse’. 

Fortunately the arson was in the early hours of the morning, so none of the employees were at the dealership and so there have been no injuries as a result of the fire. 

Mr Loveridge added: 'Three cars were damaged in total, it could have been far worse.

'Two Mercedes and a Jeep but the Mercs are obliterated. The Jeep is damaged but it is more to the paintwork.

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'Hopefully the police will be able to do something and get the people who did it.

'Fortunately every one local has been very helpful, we have had customers bring us in chocolates and tea and things like that.

'We don't think it was aimed at us directly or anything like that. We think it was random.’

Police inquires are on-going into the arson at the Peter Nash dealership in Warsash. 

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: ‘

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We were called at 4.53am to reports of a fire at a car dealership on Warsash Road, Warsash.

‘Two cars were completely burnt out.

‘Damage is estimated to be around £200,000.

‘The incident is being treated as arson and enquiries are on-going.

‘Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police on 101, quoting 44190151653.’ 

Firefighters from Fareham were among the crews who battle the blaze at Peter Nash in the early hours. 

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A spokeswoman for Hampshire Fire and Rescue said: ‘We were called at 4.51am this morning, we sent crews from Hightown and Fareham. 

‘Four vehicles in the dealership were on fire. We used two hose reels and two breathing apparatus as well as one jet to extinguish the blaze. 

‘The cause of the fire is unknown currently.’ 

In a tweet Hants Fire Control added: ‘We suspect this was not spontaneous combustion ! HFRS Arson Task Force & Police will be investigating - STOP 0602.’