Joanne Roney OBE
Chief Executive
Wakefield Council
Town Hall
Wood Street
WAKEFIELD
WF1 2HQ
04.02.2011
Ref: Another house fire and more shortly
Dear Mrs Roney OBE
My apologies for having to bring this issue to your attention but over the last four years your officers have been contacted and informed verbally and in writing with huge concerns regards the arson attacks on the Featherstone Girnhill Estate that still continue to this day. The records are extensive and are well worth a read.
Sadly today again after WMDC did not listen or act the 113th house fire on the estate in 4 years was started by arsonists.
My reason for contacting you is obviously in the hope that this madness will be stopped but also to inform you of the events of this week as they are a very good example of what has been going on.
At the end of last week shutters were fitted to houses on the estate after residents had moved out. By Saturday afternoon the front door shutter of one house had been prized open with a small piece of timber and an attempt had been made to poor petrol in to the opening. This was reported to WMDC on Saturday. By Sunday afternoon the door was still prized open and the timber used to bend the door was still stuck in the door. The petrol can used was also still by the front door.
By Tuesday nothing had changed. At the Featherstone regeneration meeting Tuesday evening Janet Howley who has been contacted tens of times over the years gave information that the timber and petrol can had been removed and that repairs had been made. Also WMDC were paying for 24 hour security.
I again informed the officers present that;
1. The window shutters were again tin foil and worthless
2. The door shutters were less adequate than the ones that WMDC had actually agreed work and had begun to fit at previous addresses.
3. The door shutter was still prized open with the timber lever still in the frame.
4. A petrol can was still at the front door.
5. Unless immediate action was taken the houses would burn down with in days.
6. Any houses burning would have to be attended by the Fire service. This is an unfair cost and use of their service that could be better used else where.
I received a call today just before 1pm that the same house was now on fire. I have a particular interest in this house for the reasons I have stated and further because it was the home of a good friend. After 35 minutes due to the new traffic queues, pile of tarmac in the middle of the road and a HGV coming towards me the wrong way up a one way system I managed to travel the 1 mile to the property. I noticed as I neared the property “usual suspects”. I found 2 Fire appliances putting out the outbuildings.
The timber lever was still in the damaged front door and the petrol can was still by the door. Nothing had altered. It appears that the security is blatantly non existent. The security company needs sacking.
Sadly by the time you read these concerns the property/s will be burnt to the ground. Not that this appears to concern WMDC.
I have to ask. Why the continued inadequacies?
For the sake of others lives I have copied this letter to the Arson Task Force.
I have also copied this letter to the local police inspector as up until a big fuss was made recently the police stance on the 100 plus arsons was that they had never been reported to them.
WMDC have been provided with data sheets showing what shutters will actually work. I would appreciate your intervention to prevent more fires.
Regards
