Spate of arson attacks in Battersea (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Spate of arson attacks in Battersea this morning

9:00am Wednesday 4th July 2012 in Your Say By Alexandra Rucki

Firefighters were called to a spate of arson attacks in the early hours this morning.

They were first called to a bin chute which was set alight in Fairchild Close, Battersea, at 2am.

It was swiftly extinguished but they were called back again at 4am, after an LDV Pilot Van was ablaze in the same road.

Firecrews spent about an hour putting it out and police had to evacuate people from a block of flats nearby.

Nobody was injured, but the fires are being treated as suspicious.

There have been a number of arson attacks in the road, with a motorbike set on fire as recently as June 26 and attacks dating back to December 2011.

Henry Gomm, of Fairchild Close, said: "As the fires have all been set either directly under flats, or in bin areas attached to flats, it is really only the quick action of the fire-brigade that has meant that no one as far as I know has been hurt in these incidents.

"It is certainly very unsettling to have to live in our flat with these actions continuing, not least with the frequent disruption to sleep."