'Catch arsonist before he kills' SENIOR FIRE OFFICER FEARS FOR SAFETY OF RESIDENTS AND CREWS.

Byline: STEVE EVANS 

NUNEATON'S fire chief says it is vital that an arsonist who started back-to-back blazes at a block of flats is caught before he kills someone.

"We have to get this person off the streets," said Assistant Divisional Officer Glenn Miller, after his crews responded to two incidents in four hours at the same location.

The worried fire officer said; "He is putting firefighters' lives at risk and he is putting the lives of the public at risk."

The fire-raiser struck twice at Lydgate Court, off Coton Road, Nuneaton, yesterday, first at 2.30am and then again at 6.30am.

He targeted rubbish bins kept in a storage area at the foot of a four- storey flight of stairs.

There are 64 flats at Lydgate Court, many occupied by elderly people, and ADO Miller said: "What this person is doing is downright dangerous, potentially lethal.

"He is setting fire to rubbish bins and causing smoke-logging of the stairwell, which is the only means of escape in a four-storey block."

Since last March, Nuneaton firefighters have responded to nine incidents at Lydgate Court, and four of them have been to deal with fires which have been deliberately started in bulk refuse bins.

ADO Miller said yesterday's arson attacks also damaged electrical wiring in the ground floor storage area, leaving some residents without power.

Pensioner Ron Ley, aged 77, has been living in the flats for about five years.

He said: "The bins have been set on fire about three or four times in the last few months. It's very worrying."

While Nuneaton crews were dealing with the second incident at Lydgate Court, another suspicious bin fire broke out less than a mile away in Harefield Road. A crew from Bedworth had to respond to that.

CAPTION(S):

CONCERN: Ron Ley, aged 77, by some of the rubbish bins damaged in the arson attacks. Pictures: ROBIN BIDGOOD; SAFETY INSPECTION: Council worker Steve Morris casts an eye over the wiring