House blaze arson

NINE firefighters from two fire engines battled a blaze as it threatened to spread to the roof void of a derelict property in Edward Street, Werneth, yesterday.

Four of the firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the end-terrace house to fight the flames after arsonists set fire to a pile of wood in the front room.

The flames had spread to the first floor by the time it was spotted and emergency crews from Chadderton were alerted.

The house is in a row of boarded up properties waiting for demolition, but boards preventing access to a number of the houses are in a poor state of repair.

The culprits of yesterday’s blaze, which was spotted shortly after 6pm, dragged wood from inside the empty house into the front room before setting it alight.

The building was well alight when firefighters arrived, but they managed to prevent it getting into the roof void and spreading to adjoining properties.

They spent two hours at the scene.