Arson attack on family home (From Daily Echo)
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Arson attack on family home in Southampton
11:58am Wednesday 19th September 2012 in Crime
By Tara Russell, News Reporter
Brighton Road, Southampton
ARSONISTS set fire to a Southampton family home where a man was sleeping inside.
The 27-year-old man was woken by the smoke alarm and went downstairs to find the staircase and hallway filled with smoke and spotted flames coming from a rag, which had been pushed through the letterbox and petrol on the floor.
Police say had the fire spread, it could have been life threatening.
The man, who is a lodger at the family home, managed to put out the flames and call 999 just after 1am on Monday morning.
Firefighters from St Mary’s spent an hour at the scene making sure the property was safe while a crowd of about 25 people gathered outside the home.
Last night detectives issued an appeal for any information to find the criminals responsible.
The couple who own the home were on holiday in Spain when the attack happened and their lodger was the only person there in Brighton Road.
They cut short their holiday to return back home as specialist fire investigators and police officers have combed the scene for evidence.
Speaking at their home the lodger, who the Daily Echo is not naming, said: “The smell of the petrol was horrific. Luckily I saw it because if the fire had spread the whole house could have gone up.
“A police officer said to me ‘how you are still here is unbelievable’ and it makes you realise how scary this is.”
The home owners told the Daily Echo they had no idea why they were targeted sometime between 12.40am and 1.15am on Monday.
The 42-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, said: “Whoever it was intended to do serious harm to us and our home and we hope they are found before they strike twice.
“The police have been very supportive but once something like this happens, how can you feel safe in your own home? All sorts of thoughts go through your mind.”
Police have carried out house to house inquiries and have distributed appeal leaflets in the area as neighbours have spoken of their shock of the arson.
One said: “We heard some commotion and saw the firefighters there. It is terrifying.
The consequences are not worth thinking about and it doesn’t make you feel safe sleeping.”
Detectives are appealing for anyone who saw a person, people or unfamiliar vehicles in the Brighton Road area shortly before the time of the incident.
Detective Constable Janine Bradley said: “This is being treated as arson to endanger life.
“The incident could have been life threatening, if the household did not have effective smoke alarms, as the fire was during the night while occupants slept.
“The fire had the potential to block an essential escape route from the premises.
“We are actively seeking information from the public about why this happened and who might have done it.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Bradley at Bitterne CID on 101 Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Comments(19)
costa gaz
says...
12:22pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Hampshire's finest can have the rest of the day off.
Thank god for smoke alarms.
Here, There
says...
12:40pm Wed 19 Sep 12
hulla baloo
says...
1:21pm Wed 19 Sep 12
costa gaz wrote:You are easily pleased if you call that solved.
Chief superintendent hullu baloo has already solved this case.
Hampshire's finest can have the rest of the day off.
Thank god for smoke alarms.
Georgem
says...
1:22pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Walter K
says...
2:25pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Georgem
says...
2:46pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Walter K wrote:Yeh that's more likely. I can relate to that one.
........or doesn't rinse items before putting in the Dishwasher.
jonnyjohnson66!
says...
3:03pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Georgem
says...
3:14pm Wed 19 Sep 12
jonnyjohnson66! wrote:I see. Which ethnicity is it that is subject to racial attack, then?
Could this be a racial attack??! Do we know their ethnicity? !!!
#sevennationarmy
says...
3:27pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Grow up and if you've got nothing useful to say, keep your 'thoughts' to yourselves - cretins.
Georgem
says...
3:37pm Wed 19 Sep 12
#sevennationarmy wrote:For every story, there are people who know those involved. Does that mean no commenting on anything?
No it's not racial and people making ignorant, moronic remarks on here is not helpful either. I know the people involved and to make light of it and post stupid remarks on here's unhelpful and childish.
Grow up and if you've got nothing useful to say, keep your 'thoughts' to yourselves - cretins.
#sevennationarmy
says...
3:44pm Wed 19 Sep 12
I wonder how quick people would be to joke about this if it was their house, property and family who were involved.
Georgem
says...
3:56pm Wed 19 Sep 12
#sevennationarmy wrote:Where are the jokes about how people could have been killed? I missed those. I see some mild speculation on motives, and some refutations of that speculation, then some more speculation on motives, then your rant. If you like, I can retract my earlier comment vindicating your friends.
No George, it means speculating over motive and joking about the fact that people could have been killed is crass, insensitive and morally sub-standard.
I wonder how quick people would be to joke about this if it was their house, property and family who were involved.
Gainer T Gopher
says...
6:09pm Wed 19 Sep 12
bigfella777
says...
6:16pm Wed 19 Sep 12
I can smell a fraudulent benefit claim in there somewhere.
McSholing
says...
6:46pm Wed 19 Sep 12
PLEASE dont go setting that 7army thing off again Gainer.
Gainer T Gopher
says...
7:14pm Wed 19 Sep 12
McSholing wrote:you got me with the 7th Army??
could it have been the Islamic Polish-Somalian London drug lords fighting for turf???
PLEASE dont go setting that 7army thing off again Gainer.
Reality-man
says...
9:07pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Mr. Cleanstreets
says...
11:07am Thu 20 Sep 12
hulla baloo says...
12:04pm Wed 19 Sep 12