Arson attacks in Swanley see shielding couple's car engulfed in flames after fires in Sycamore Drive
A concerned daughter has pleaded for help to catch the arsonists whose torching spree led to her shielding mum’s car going up in flames.
Emma Mason lives round the corner from her vulnerable parents in Sycamore Drive, Swanley, where a total of six fires – believed to be linked – have been reported in the space of a week.
It has prompted the police to launch an investigation into the suspicious activity which has seen bins and storage areas repeatedly set ablaze.
The latest attack happened in the early hours of Monday morning when a skip and an electrical cupboard were targeted.
It comes exactly a week after Emma’s mum Sally Cook, 59, saw her car – which she uses to drive her husband Steve, 65, to hospital appointments – go up in flames.
She said: “I can’t speak for the other residents, only my mum and dad.
“Their car was burnt around 11pm on Monday, June 22, after someone had set light to the communal bins and an old sofa that had been dumped there.
“It also burnt a part of the school fence which is behind the car park.”
Emma praised the fire brigade who managed to douse the flames before they spread to the family’s other vehicle.
“When I arrived, the fire brigade had already put it out,” she said. “I started taking photos of the burnt out car for insurance purposes.”
Neighbours told Emma they had not seen anything suspicious but had just heard a “loud bang”.
But in a further twist later that evening, a neighbour got in touch with mum Sally to say the bins had been set alight outside their home in nearby Hollytree Avenue.
It is very worrying for mum and dad, said Emma, whose parents are self-isolating while dad Steve waits for an operation.
“My dad is under investigation for cancer. He caught Covid-19 when in hospital but has since recovered and come home.
“That car really is a lifeline,” she added. “Mum’s is an automatic, so she has been ferrying him back and forth – dad’s car is a manual and she can’t drive it.”
However, it was not the end of the ordeal for residents as Sally described a game of cat and mouse over the weekend.
She said in the early hours of Saturday, the skip in the car park and the electrical cupboard of a flat were once again set ablaze.
It was then targeted again on Monday just before 2am. One fire engine was called and crews used hose reel jets to extinguish the flames.
Then just two hours later, the fire services were summoned in greater numbers as this time the fire had spread to a neighbouring property.
Firefighters used high pressured fans to clear two flats of smoke and two people were treated by paramedics for suspected smoke inhalation.
Sally said residents remained concerned as they didn’t know when the arsonists would strike again.
“It could have been a lot more serious if the fire brigade had not got there in time,” she said. “I just hope we can catch them.”
West Kent Housing Association, which owns properties in the area, has since written to worried residents as it set out the steps it was taking to address the issue.
It said it would be installing smoke detectors inside electrical cupboards, checking locks and considering adding more CCTV cameras.
Residents were also told routine rubbish checks will also be taking place to prevent it from accumulating and new metal bins installed to prevent any future fire spread.
"Any fire started deliberately can easily endanger lives. It is vital we identify anyone who may have been involved."
Cathy McCarthy, housing director at West Kent, said: “Our priority is the safety of our residents. We know many of our residents are understandably worried about the fires and we are doing all we can to make them feel safe.
“We have written to all our residents in Hollytree Avenue and Sycamore Drive to offer reassurance and explain the actions we are taking by working with Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Kent Police and our contractors to reduce any further risks.”
Police have also issued an appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Detective Inspector Richard O’Toole said: “Thankfully no one has been seriously injured, however any fire started deliberately can easily endanger lives.
“It is vital we identify anyone who may have been involved. This may be someone you know, who has been staying out late or who has come home smelling of petrol or smoke and is behaving differently.
“We are continuing to follow a number of inquiries, including reviewing any potential CCTV opportunities, carrying out forensic tests and conducting house to house inquiries.”
Anyone with any information is urged to contact the police by calling the appeals line on 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/109765/20.
Alternatively, you can also contact Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, or by using the online form or by completing an online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org