Police seek public help over arsons

FIRE CONCERN: The fire service and police have called for greater vigilance from the comunity as the hunt continues for the person or persons responsible for five house arsons in the city since early September. The latest was this fire in a Cobden Street home on Tuesday morning. Picture by Liam Clayton

CONCERN mounts about the spate of arson attacks on houses in Gisborne, and police and firefighters want the community to be more viligant to help catch whoever is doing it.

Their call follows the fifth deliberately- lit fire at a residential property in the city since early September. Police and firefighters have expressed increasing concern about it.

“There have been too many fires like this now in a short space of time,” a senior firefighter said after the latest blaze at the Cobden Street-Berry Street corner on Tuesday gutted the home's interior.

That same house was targeted by an arsonist at night in early September. In the first attempt, curtains in a front room were set on fire but the occupants were able to put the flames out before the fire could take hold.

A week later a molotov-cocktail type of device was thrown through the front window of a house in Clarence Street early in the evening but again the fire was put out by residents. A few days later a bedroom at a house in Palmerston Road was set alight at night while the owners were away. The room was extensively damaged and the rest of the home suffered extensive smoke damage.

Then came the deliberately lit fire that all but destroyed an unoccupied house in Matthews Road on October 2, set alight in broad daylight like the Cobden Street house.

Police extremely concernedDetective Sergeant Theo Akroyd said police were extremely concerned about these fires.

“We are still trying to establish if there are any links between them," he said. “It is possible it is the work of one person but we have no evidence to suggest that at this stage. Whatever the situation, because of the nature of these fires, they pose a serious risk to life and property.

“We would ask the community to be extra alert to suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhoods.”

Witnesses from the Matthews Road fire and the Cobden Street fire on Tuesday have reported seeing a male riding off on a bicycle immediately after the fires started.

“The description we have from Tuesday’s fire is of a male Maori or Polynesian, a dark-skinned person, of medium build, who was wearing a hoodie.”

Specialist fire investigator Derek Goodwin said the fire service was likewise becoming increasingly concerned about the situation.

“Someone could get injured or worse if the spate of fires keeps happening. We would urge people to support the police in their inquiry to catch whoever is doing this.

“If people see suspicious activity in their neighbourhood they should communicate with the police immediately.”

Mr Goodwin said given the concerns it was also a good idea for people to ensure smoke alarms in their homes were operating effectively.

“They should also be sure of their escape routes from their homes should a fire occur.”

Information can be provided directly to the Gisborne police station, or by calling the Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111.