Firefighters extinguish suspected deliberate fire in Cardiff playground

In the early hours of Monday morning (13 September 2021) we received reports of a fire in a children’s playground in Trowbridge, Cardiff.

A crew from Roath Station attended the scene and upon arrival they were faced with a fire that had spread across the park, causing significant damage to the playground equipment and outdoor furniture. The cause of the fire is suspected to be deliberate and it had been reported that an accelerant had been used to cause significant damage.

Deliberate fires are extremely dangerous. They can spread out of control easily and quickly, putting lives in danger, causing significant damage to property and the environment including causing harm to wildlife. In this case, the fire caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the community.

The fires also give off thick swathes of smoke which can increase the risk to the elderly and vulnerable people with medical conditions. Healthcare professionals have highlighted the dangers of smoke caused by such fires to COVID-19 sufferers who may be living nearby.

Our Fire Crime team are working closely with our partners at South Wales Police and local authorities to tackle anti-social behaviour of this type to help reduce risk and keep communities safe.

We would urge anyone who has information on suspected deliberate fires, or who sees anything suspicious to contact South Wales Police via email: SWP101@south-wales.police.uk or visit: https://bit.ly/SWPReportOnline. Alternatively, you can message them privately on Facebook or Twitter, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

If you see a fire, or anyone starting a fire, please call 999 immediately.