Firework yobs target Burnley disabled man's house
11:30am Monday 29th October 2012 in News
ARSONISTS with fireworks have targeted the house of a disabled man.
Police said three lit fireworks were pushed through the letter box of the terrace house in Ford Street, Burnley, at 10pm on Saturday, which started a ‘slow burning fire’.
The blaze caused significant damage to a front room, which was being used as a bedroom.
Firefighters spent an hour at the blaze and have now launched an investigation with police.
A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The house was occupied, but the owner had moved out for a few days.
“In the meantime, someone has put a window through and thrown some quite big fireworks into the front room, which was being used as a bedroom, because the man isn’t so good on his feet.
“It was quite a serious fire — it’s wrecked the room and has smoke damaged the rest of the property.
“If the man had been in, then the consequences could have been very serious.
“People don’t realise what damage fireworks can do if they are set off in a confined space.”
DS Charlie Haynes of Burnley CID said: “Three fireworks were ignited and pushed through the letterbox, and firefighters had to force entry to get in.
“The house has since been boarded up and we are in the process of examining CCTV footage of the area, and the fireworks which were recovered from the scene.
“This had the potential to be a very serious fire as it is a terraced property.”
Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area at the time is asked to call Burnley CID on 01282 472240.
Comments(9)
DaveBurnley
says...
12:09pm Mon 29 Oct 12
AnthonyUK
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1:59pm Mon 29 Oct 12
Major Tom
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3:34pm Mon 29 Oct 12
They should catch them and force them into hard labour camps. Little *@$t@rd$.
mavrick
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5:24pm Mon 29 Oct 12
AnthonyUK
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5:42pm Mon 29 Oct 12
Fire Fly
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8:03pm Mon 29 Oct 12
AnthonyUK wrote:Whilst making some valid points, its a shame you lower yourself to insulting others on here with name calling.
And I hate killjoys and spoilsports and nampypamby dogooders like you mavrick trying to curtail them from sensible home use! I used some sensibly on saturday at a halloween party and nobody got injured and I will be displaying again privately saturday sunday and monday as well. That sort of sensible use should not be curtailed or frowned on because of the actions of a stupid imbecile youth mentality. Its the retail trade responsible for underage sales you should be attacking you idiot. A ban will only result in an illegal blackmarket of dangerous imported fireworks being sold to the public but ignorant people like you refuse point blank to see that.
I think maverick's made a valid point also. At the end of the day, fireworks are dangerous & year after year, they fall into the hands of the wrong people who do stupid things like this. We dont allow youths to drive until they're 17 because a cars a dangerous thing in the wrong hand, drink age limits for the same reason.
If fireworks are to be sold to the public, it should be to over 21's in my opinion. Not a cure all but it would help.
AnthonyUK
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9:46pm Mon 29 Oct 12
I think mavrick that you unfairly and unrealistically tar all firework use with the same brush lumping in responsible use with irresponsible use in calling for a retail sale/use ban. The sensible majority, on the whole, don't thankfully do what these yobs did and enjoy fireworks sensibly every year and largely don't get injured with them.
HairyBowls
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12:53am Tue 30 Oct 12
frank says...
11:47am Mon 29 Oct 12
sad.