Bin-chute arsonists strike twice at flats

EVERY floor in a high-rise block of flats was smoke-logged when a bin-chute arsonist struck twice within hours.

Around 20 firefighters were called to Hollow End Towers, Brinnington, Stockport, on Saturday at 7pm to a blaze in the waste disposal room.

Someone in the 12-storey tower had put lit material into the chute and the amount was too much for the bin room’s drenching system to cope with. This meant smoke went back up the chute to all corridors and although most residents stayed in their flats around a dozen self-evacuated.

Crews from Whitehill, King Street, Offerton and Hyde stations were also called to the tower block, on Northumberland Road, on Sunday at 7.30pm, but to a smaller fire. It means there have been four similar incidents there in the past two weeks, following 10 in a week in July.

Stockport Homes has installed CCTV since, but some of it has been ripped down. The firm has also sent safety leaflets to residents in all 66 flats.

A fire service spokesman said: “We have informed the police and Stockport Homes, who are trying to pull CCTV together. We are trying to provide a coordinated response form residents. This causes a lot of fear for other residents.”

A spokesman for the housing associ- ation said: “We are taking action immediately to deal with the dangerous and irresponsible behaviour.”

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.