Firefighters busy night in Burghclere including suspected arson

Caravan razed to ground in separate incident

Firefighters had a busy night in Burghclere last night, (Tues) the scene of two separate incidents, one of which was a suspected arson.

At 8pm, one fire engine from Newbury was called to a suspected arson in Earlstone Common, near the Clere school, where a fallen tree was on fire and this blaze had set fire to surrounding leaf mould and peat.

Firefighters directed both hosereels from the fire engine at the blaze, with beaters also used to extinguish the fire.

Firefighters, who were at the scene one and a half hours, said afterwards the fire could have proved more serious, due to recent dry weather and following scrutiny of the wider surrounding area, where they discovered several other separate 'seats' of previous fires, since extinguished.

The cause was recorded by the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) as a suspected arson.

A fire engine from Newbury together with a second pump from Kingsclere, were then called out to Burghclere again, at 10.30pm last night, to a caravan blaze in Well Street, the cause of which remained under investigation by the fire service this morning (Wed).

Firefighters used two hosereels and jets to extinguish the blaze, with back up help from a Basingstoke water bowser.

The caravan, which was razed to the ground, was unoccupied, with the blaze further complicated by hydrochloric acid, chemicals and moulds located inside the caravan, and used in a mould making business, according to firefighters.

Firefighters were at the scene several hours and until 1.30am this morning (Wed), with the cause still under investigation by fire investigation officers.