Fire chief’s warning after suspect arson blaze at ex Jobcentre

FIVE fire appliances attended a blaze at a former Coventry Jobcentre following a suspected arson attack.

Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the former Jobcentre in Torrington Avenue, Tile Hill, at around 7pm on Wednesday.

Four pumps and a hydraulic platform attended the incident with firefighters there for several hours tackling the blaze and searching it to make sure no one was inside.

Crews that attended the fire were from Canley, Coventry and Binley fire stations.

One of Coventry’s watch commanders said that youngsters had been seen in the building prior to the blaze and it was suspected that they had started the fires.

Watch Commander Rob Gallagher from Canley fire station said: “We were called

to a fire at a void commercial premises on Torrington Avenue, the old Jobcentre.

“Kids had been seen playing in the building and had obviously set fires inside. It caused substantial damage to several rooms.

“We got the call at 7pm and crews were there for several hours. They came from Canley, Coventry and Binley, the hydraulic platform coming from Coventry.

“We fought the fire from inside and out and had a good search of the premises to make sure there were no kids still in there.”

Watch commander Gallagher said that West Midlands Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service were also in attendance.

He added that he did not know how long the building had been unused but that inside showed signs of significant vandalism and that attempts to secure the building had not deterred people from gaining access.

is boarded-up but people keep pulling the boards off and getting in,” he said.

Watch Commander Gallagher also issued a warning to young people and their parents urging people not to go into empty buildings. He said: would urge parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of playing in void and derelict buildings.”

Anyone with information on the fire is urged to contact West Midlands Police on 101.