It’s been warned that ‘people could die’ amid a spike in the number of deliberate fires in Aberdeen.
Firefighters have tackled four wilful fire-raisings in just five days, including one that has closed Dyce Academy for the best part of a week.
The worrying trend has prompted city councillors to urge perpetrators to stop before someone loses their life.
Police say they are working to “analyse trends” and bring those responsible to justice.
Eight deliberate fires in Aberdeen in February
The Press and Journal has reported on eight wilful fire-raisings during February so far.
Most recently Dyce Academy was forced to close, interrupting the education of hundreds of pupils.
It preceded another fire at a derelict building in Tillydrone less than 24 hours earlier.
Meanwhile, other deliberate fires have also been recorded in Bridge of Don, Rosemount and Den of Maidenscraig.
Dyce councillor and former firefighter Barney Crockett says it’s only a matter of time until “a death is caused”.
He told The Press and Journal: “The first thought you have is, of course, about safety, especially at something like a school.
“Smoke kills. Often that is just not appreciated.
“You have to think about what the potential for danger really is when these things are started.
“If you are aware of how dangerous these fires can be, even a tiny fire in the corner of a room can lead to death.
“You can never tell what the consequences might be.”
The increasing frequency of these fires was especially concerning for Mr Crockett.
“We must not stretch our emergency services,” he continued.
“Our fire services may be forced to deal with a small fire that was deliberately raised, but at the same time there may be a more serious one in somebody’s home, and they might not be able to get there.
“People could die as a result of this – even if it’s not a direct result of the one that someone has caused.
“We have to avoid fire services being diverted to places where they just can’t afford to be.”
He added: “I hope this message can get through to people of all ages, but particularly the young people that may not be aware.”
Martin Greig, convener of the council’s education committee, echoed Mr Crockett’s sentiments.
He has called for an end to the “nasty and vindictive” incidents plaguing Aberdeen.
Increasing number of deliberate fires in Aberdeen ‘deeply worrying’
“The frequency of these incidents is deeply worrying,” he said.
“I hope there is some analysis or evaluation being done on the reasons for this misconduct.
“As with most crimes, this is about a minority of malicious individuals acting erratically, so it is challenging to predict where the next incident will happen.
“I would call on the public to keep an eye out on any suspicious behaviour to try and protect our city.”
He added: “The risks to individuals are very serious, the threat and potential for harm is extremely concerning for me.”
“It’s a really worry to think that there is an increase in fire-raising incidents.”
Police ‘to analyse trends’ in hunt for Aberdeen fire-raisers
Chief Inspector Steven McDonald, North Aberdeenshire Area Commander, said: “Anti-social behaviour such as wilful fire-raisings causes misery for local residents and will not be tolerated.
“We are working to identify all those involved in recent incidents and direct people away from this mindless activity and ensure a safer community.
“We are aware of an increase in these incidents since the start of the year and continually analyse crime trends and respond accordingly.
“While it must be stressed that not all recent incidents are believed to involve young people, officers engage with parents and guardians to ensure that they are aware of the impact of their children’s behaviour.
“We also work closely with partner agencies such as Social Work, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and the local authority to identify opportunities for diversionary work and prevent future offending.
“We encourage anyone who experiences instances of anti-social behaviour to contact Police Scotland via 101, or in an emergency via 999.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s local senior officer for Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray, Andrew Wright added: “Deliberately setting fires is not only reckless, but it can damage communities and endanger lives.
“Whilst not all incidents are a result of anti-social behaviour, our staff work extremely hard to engage with the public to prevent these types of incidents because they are a needless drain on our resources. Through our proactive prevention work, we reach out to young people to warn them about the dangers of fire-raising. This includes school visits, charity activities and educational programmes.
“Whilst we cannot speculate on the influence that social media has on deliberate fire setting within the Aberdeenshire area, we would always ask young people not to engage in any trends that can endanger themselves or others, damage property or impact the availability of firefighters to attend emergencies.”
Timeline of Aberdeen fires in February
The Press and Journal has recorded a timeline of all deliberate fires in February to date.
- February 1: Former Denburn Health Centre, Rosemount Viaduct
- February 10: NorScot HQ, Parkway, Bridge of Don
- February 12 and 13: Den of Maidenscraig Nature Reserve
- February 15: RGS Hutchison and Sons Scrap Yard, Persley
- February 18: Car Park of Infinity Partnership Ltd, Albert Street
- February 19: Dyce Academy, Riverview Drive
- February 19: Don Street, Tillydrone
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