A flat fire in Plympton prompted a major emergency service response this morning and led to the arrest of a woman on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
An eyewitness said: “A Woman was sat on the wall at the top of the road with all her suitcases and bags and she said she’d burnt down her flat.” This account has not been confirmed by police.
One resident said the incident had been particularly traumatic because it brought back memories of a house fire they had experienced themselves.
Amid the response, firefighters took time to talk with residents in the street, reassuring people and even stopping to fuss over residents’ dogs. Among them was Greenbank’s Red Watch Crew Manager Murray McCammick, a familiar face to Plymouth Post readers after a rather different rescue earlier this year, when he helped save a group of tiny ducklings. Today’s incident was considerably more serious.
A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to a fire in a first floor flat on Yealmpstone Drive at 6.27am. Six appliances and an aerial ladder platform from Plympton, Crownhill, Greenbank and Plymstock fire stations attended, with the aerial ladder used to access the roof space and ensure the fire did not spread to neighbouring properties.
The fire was extinguished using breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets, a safety jet, a covering jet and thermal imaging cameras. One person was taken to hospital for checks.
Devon and Cornwall Police said nobody was believed to have suffered any significant injury.
Control of the scene has now been handed to police, and a fire investigation will take place to determine the cause.
A police spokesperson said: “A woman in her 30s has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. She remains in police custody at this time.”
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post
