A man has been arrested after a car was spotted on fire at the back of houses in a usually quiet residential area in Swanage near to the seafront.
The blaze was reported by local residents at around 9.40 pm on Wednesday 4th January 2023 in the back lane between Rabling Road and Walrond Road.
Swanage Fire crew putting out the fire
Fire quickly extinguised
A crew from Swanage Fire Station arrived quickly to put out the flames, luckily before the fire could spread to nearby fences or garages.
A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said:
“We were called to a lane off Rabling Road, Swanage at 9.43 pm to a car well alight. One crew from Swanage attended and two hose reel jets were used to extinguish the fire, with the stop at 10.21 pm.”
The blaze was down the back lane between Rabling Road and Walrond Road
“56 year old man of no fixed abode was arrested”
Dorset Police officers also arrived at the scene of the car fire.
Earlier at 9.22 pm on the same evening, a road traffic collision in Bell Street in West Swanage involving a car and two parked vehicles was reported to the police.
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said:
“It was reported that the car involved, failed to stop at the scene.
“A car, believed to be the same vehicle involved in the collision, was subsequently located on fire in Rabling Road. The fire service attended and extinguished the fire, which is reported to have been started deliberately.
“Following enquiries by officers, a 56 year old man of no fixed abode was arrested on suspicion of driving offences, arson and theft of a motor vehicle.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”
