A series of arson attacks look place around Nelson, resulting in one man ending up in hospital.
The police and fire service are investigating the incidents, which mainly involved wheelie bins. It happened between yesterday evening and this morning.
The most serious was at flats at the corner of Manchester Road and Albert Street. Pendle Lodge apartments are over the top of a restaurant, and someone set fire to a big waste bin at the rear. As a result, heat and smoke ended up going through the windows of the flats and affecting sleepers.
One 27-year-old resident who suffers from asthma was badly affected. Crew Manager Tom Ashworth of Nelson Fire Station said: “He was treated at the scene by paramedics and conveyed to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for a precautionary check-up.”
The bin was below the windows and they had been open because of the lovely weather. One flat was severely affected by smoke and heat and two others had moderate smoke effects. There was light damage to the rest of the building.
That incident happened around 3-20 a.m. and Crew Manager Ashworth said: “There was heat and smoke from the large scrap fire. The residents did have their windows open.”
Because it was a “persons reported” incident, three pumps attended - two from Nelson and one from Burnley. As well as the victim who was treated by paramedics, there was one female considered missing. Mr Ashworth said: “We broke into her affected flat but she was not there. Several flats were really badly affected by smoke.”
There are other incidents believed to be associated with Pendle Lodge. At 9-20 p.m. in Southfield Street, Nelson, grass was set on fire. At 10-44 p.m., a bin was set alight in Hibson Road and, at 10-58 p.m., a settee was torched near Smith Street, Nelson.
At 10-44 p.m. another wheelie bin had been set alight behind the Lord Nelson Hotel in Manchester Road.
Crew Manager Ashworth said: “We think someone had been walking through Nelson setting things on fire. It could have resulted in people’s lives being lost. We are doing a full investigation and the police are also investigating.”
