ARSONISTS who torch cars are "risking the lives" of Hampshire residents, warn fire chiefs, as crews attend hundreds in the past few years.

People who deliberately set light to vehicles have been slammed for their “careless and dangerous” actions.

In May alone, firefighters have been called out three times to car fires in Southampton - to Eling waterfront, Cemetery Road and Kootenay Avenue.

In each incident - now being treated as an arson attack by police - a vehicle was reduced to a smouldering wreck.

Meanwhile, in 2020, 188 vehicles across the county were torched, fire service figures show.

Crews from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) responded to 204 incidents in 2019.

There were 187 deliberate vehicle fires attended in 2015 and there has been a fall of 40 per cent since 2011 when 315 incidents were recorded.

Data from the Home Office show that vehicle fires accounted for around 13 per cent of all deliberate blazes attended by fire crews in the area last year.

HFRS Assistant Director for Operations, Dan Tasker, has warned that vehicle fires can be extremely dangerous due to the flammable parts in modern cars. He said: “These fires have the potential to divert essential services from responding to life-critical emergencies and create an unnecessary risk to crews and communities. “

Mr Tasker says that HFRS has been working with Hampshire police to combat arson offences. And the Arson Task Force, set up in 2007 has seen the arson conviction rate increase from 3 per cent to 85 per cent.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: “Arson has a huge effect on the local community, it destroys property but more importantly it puts people’s lives at risk. Such incidents also divert our resources from other people who may need our help.”

Tory MP for Southampton Itchen, Royston Smith has slammed arsonists for their dangerous and careless actions, adding: “During my time as Chairman of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority I was acutely aware of the danger of car fires both directly at the scene and indirectly due to the stretch on resources and equipment. The cost to the fire service can be great and firefighters are at risk on every call out.”