Firefighters tackled 'deliberate' swamp fire (From St Helens Star)

Firefighters tackled 'deliberate' swamp fire

11:14am Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News

FIREFIGHTERS have condemned arsonists who sparked a blaze at tall grass in a swamp.

The fire near Singleton Avenue, Blackbrook involved an area measuring the size of a rugby pitch – and was just 20 metres from houses.

Crews had to use beaters to put out the flames that started to spread at about 3pm on Sunday afternoon (March 3).

Crew Manager Mike Foster, from St Helens Community Fire Station, said: “The fire was quite close to property – around 20 metres from homes.

The fire involved grass and bullrushes, which were around four and a half feet tall.

“Deliberate fires such as this can pose a real risk to not only property but people as well along with wildlife that lives in the area.”

Later in the day, crews also had to put out flames in grass at Crag Grove, Clinkham Wood.

This was smaller than the earlier fire, measuring around 10 square metres.

One again, firebugs are suspected of causing the flames, which broke out shortly before 7pm.