A man has been charged after three house fires on different roads across a Midlands market town saw two teenagers and a woman rushed to hospital.
The man, 50, who has not been named by police, has been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life after he set the houses on fire within 15 minutes shortly after 7am on Friday in Ashby-de-la Zouch, Leicestershire.
Two teenagers and a woman were taken to hospital, with one teenager being treated for burn injuries and smoke inhalation and the other two suffering smoke inhalation.
Their injuries were described by medics as not life-changing or life-threatening.
The man has also been charged with dangerous driving and will be kept in custody ahead of an appearance before Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Firefighters were called to the first house fire on Holywell Avenue at 7.05am, before the second on Prestop Drive at 7.08am and the third on Cliffton Drive at 7.19am.
Police said scene preservations were in place at each location as officers work with Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service. The B6006 Smisby Road was also closed.
One local couple who were walking their dog in the Holywell Road area this morning told LeicestershireLive they ‘didn’t know anything had happened’ until they saw the emergency services, and that the fire was ‘awful, especially just before Christmas’.
An aerial view of the scene of the house fire on Holywell Avenue in Ashby-de-la Zouch on Friday
Firefighters on the scene after the house fire on Holywell Avenue in Ashby-de-la Zouch. A man has since been charged
An aerial view of the scene of the house fire which took place shortly after 7am on Friday
Another local resident on Prestop Drive, where a police sniffer dog was present, said: ‘I was surprised that the fire didn’t wake me up, as I am a light sleeper. I only noticed that something had happened when fire trucks and police cars arrived on the road.’
Detective Inspector Jim Willoughby said: ‘Our investigation remains at an early stage as we continue to piece together the circumstances behind these three incidents.
‘From what we know so far, we believe these incidents to be linked and deliberately caused by the same person. I would ask anyone who may have any information about any of these incidents, to please get in touch.’
On Friday, Labour North West Leicestershire MP Amanda Hack said: ‘I’m aware of the incident in Ashby this morning and am in contact with local police. Thank you to all the emergency services involved in the response.’
An East Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘We received a call at 7.05am this morning, Friday November 21 to a private address in Ashby De La Zouch.
‘The caller reported a medical emergency. We sent a paramedic in an ambulance car, three crewed ambulances and a responder from the air ambulance was also in attendance. We transported three patients to Queen’s Medical Centre.’
