Wolverhampton fire: Youths 'scaled fence before torching charity donations'
Two youths scaled a fence before setting fire to charity donations kept at the old Sainsbury's in Wolverhampton city centre, the council has said.
The young males were captured on CCTV climbing into the site on Thursday evening, according to Wolverhampton Council.
Flames tore through a skip full of donations for the YMCA charity, which is renting storage space from Sainsbury's, sending plumes of smoke into the air.
The majority of the damage was in the skip, however a few areas of the former supermarket building on St George's Parade were scorched.
No damage was caused to the Grade ll-listed St George's Church which is also located on the site.
A spokesman for Wolverhampton Council said: "The fire service quickly contained a skip fire in the storage bay of the St George’s site that CCTV shows was started deliberately by two young males who scaled the gates.
"The site currently remains under lease to Sainsbury’s who have sublet the storage bay to YMCA for charity donation storage.
"The damage caused by the fire is limited to the skip and a few areas of the building have signs of scorching. The historic church has been unaffected by the fire.
"We will now be holding further discussions with Sainsbury’s, who will be reviewing security of the site."
The skip was outside but in the middle of the U-shaped building which meant it appeared from a distance that the flames were inside the old shop.
Sainsbury's still owns the site which it vacated in 2015 when it moved to a larger premises next to the ring road.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "It was a large roll on, roll off skip in the rear yard of a derelict building that was well alight.
"Two hose-reel jets and a main jet were used.
"Crews from Wolverhampton and Fallings Park attended, with five firefighters on each truck.
"We got the call at 8.41pm and arrived at 8.50pm."
West Midlands Police has been approached for comment.
