Fire chief blasts ‘callous’ vandals
Danger to building as discarded sofa is set alight
Callous firebugs are continuing to target East Kilbride and are endangering the lives of the town’s residents.
The latest blaze – which spread to a nearby outbuilding – was started at Murray Square at around 11.50pm on Saturday.
A sofa which had been discarded at the rear of One O One Off Sales was deliberately set alight.
The fire service was alerted to the scene and firefighters extinguished the flames which caused “serious cracking” to brickwork on an outbuilding.
Police confirmed they are treating the incident as wilful fireraising and appealed for witnesses.
Station commander Eddie Kelly blasted the culprits and again warned that they are putting themselves and others in serious danger.
He said: “This latest case of wilful fireraising was even more dangerous and hazardous as it spread to a building endangering the lives of others.
“This was a callous act which could have been much more serious. These types of incidents in East Kilbride seem to be getting more serious – a car was also set on fire in the Kingsgate Retail Park last week. Someone is going to get hurt.”
A Peugeot 108 was torched by vandals near to Sainsbury’s Kingsgate at around 11.20pm on August 30.
These latest incidents come just one week after firebugs targeted Ruth MacMillan’s Newlandsmuir home during a frightening overnight attack.
The deliberate blaze climbed towards the top of her home near a gas pipe at the front of the property on Kendal Road.
And a fortnight ago youths started a fire at an emergency exit under the flumes at the Dollan Aqua Centre, sparking a stark warning from the town’s fire chief.
Firebugs also targeted lock-ups at West Mains Road last month setting rubbish alight late at night. And in June vandals caused £10,000 worth of damage to lock-ups in Westwood and The Murray by maliciously torching them.
In May, vandals caused £40,000 worth of destruction by setting fire to Langlands Moss.