RESIDENTS on the Shaftesbury estate in Newport have expressed fears after a series of deliberate fires have been started in the area over the last few months.
Three houses on Hoskins Street have been targeted, along with a house on Pugsley Street.
The latest attack saw a parked car set alight in the early hours of Tuesday.
One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The car was burnt out on Hoskins Street at around 4.30am on Tuesday.
“It’s right outside the houses.
“Some of the residents are disabled and elderly. If the house went up, you’d be talking about people dying.
“Everyone was running out with buckets of water to try and stop it from reaching the houses.
“I’ve lived on this estate all my life and I’ve never seen anything like this. Someone is going to end up getting killed.”
(A burnt out caravan on Pugsley Street in Newport.)
READ MORE:
- No Labour councillors turned up to this special meeting.
- 'I felt like I was dying': Newport woman loses six stone after suffering with depression.
- Mother and daughter from Newport tested for coronavirus.
A number of vehicles, including cars and caravans, have been targeted over recent months.
“I think there is at least seven cars and two or three caravans have been set on fire,” said the resident.
“This used to be a lovely area. Now some of the elderly residents are afraid to go outside.
“Where is this going to end up? We are going to start seeing people have petrol poured through their letterboxes.
“One man has lived here all his life. His window was burnt out. It looks like this person had deliberately put stuff on the windowsill to burn it. His whole house could’ve gone up.
(The burnt out window on Pugsley Street in Newport.)
“Here, if one house goes up, they will all go up.
“It’s been happening for months. They are coming down at 3am or 4am. I just can’t understand it. It’s shocking.”
A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: “We are aware of a number of deliberate fires in the Shaftesbury estate area of Newport.
“Our Specialist Fire Crime Unit along with the Station Commander and crews from Malpas Fire and Rescue Station are working closely with our partners at Gwent Police , the local authority and local housing associations such as Newport City Homes to reduce such incidents and ensure the safety of residents is paramount.”
(The burnt out car after the most recent attack on Hoskins Street in Newport.)
The Fire Service provided details on some of times it was called out to the estate over the past few months.
They confirmed deliberate fires had been started on Hoskins Street at 11:56pm on June 1 on Hoskins Street, at around midnight on September 9, and a vehicle was deliberately set alight around 5.20am on January 28 on Hoskins Street.
On Pugsley Street, a caravan was set alight just after midnight on January 12. The Fire Service said another fire on Pugsley Street, at around 1.40am on January 15, was believed to be accidental.
Gwent Police have been contacted for comment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article