Concern over rise in number of deliberate fires across Inverclyde

Councillors have been told of fresh concerns over the growing numbers of deliberate fires across Inverclyde.

A senior fire officer and a police chief both confirmed the rise in wilful fire-raising cases at a recent meeting of Inverclyde Council's police and fire scrutiny committee.

Group Commander Rodney Anderson of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said they were working with Police Scotland and the council in a bid to reduce the numbers of attacks, some of which have been linked to feuds between organised crime groups.

While Chief Superintendent Gordon McCreadie said measures were being taken to "educate and engage" with the local community to prevent and detect the blazes.

Earlier this week, firebugs started a blaze within the common close of a block of flats in Dellingburn Street, Greenock, at around 4.25m on Sunday, June 30.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service responded and extinguished the blaze. Nobody was hurt in the incident but pictures from the scene, taken by the Tele, show the extensive damage caused.

Police officers are now appealing for information following the 'reckless act' of wilful fire-raising.

(Image: George Munro)

Detective Inspector Nicky Beattie, of Greenock CID, said: "Thankfully nobody was injured as a result of this dangerous and reckless act.

“Extensive enquiries are ongoing and we are keen to trace those responsible.

“I would appeal to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious, or who has any information which may assist us, to get in touch."

Elsewhere, during the aforementioned June 6 council meeting Mr Anderson reported a 68% drop in the number of call outs due to faulty fire alarms - known as Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals (UFAS) He reported that UFAS incidents accounted for 33% of all false alarm calls and 13% of all incidents attended by the service in Inverclyde.

Most incidents occur within hospitals and nursing homes.

The Tele first reported in February the rising number of wilful fire-raising incidents in Inverclyde.

We revealed there were 76 deliberate blazes in Inverclyde between October and December in 2023.

This compared with 36 incidents for the same period in 2022.

At a previous council meeting this year Cllr Paul Cassidy told how his Greenock ward Inverclyde South West, accounted for no fewer than 28 of the deliberate blazes recorded in 2023, with a large number concentrated in the Larkfield Burns Square area of the town.

In November 2022, six local men were jailed for a total of 64 years and three months at the High Court in Glasgow for their part in a series of petrol bomb attacks in Greenock.

Inverclyde also has one of the worst records for fires in Scotland.

The district recorded 606 fires per 100,000 people in 2022/23, making it the sixth highest in Scotland.