How overnight Bilston fire drama unfolded leaving pub damaged and vehicles wrecked
A man was arrested after several vehicles and buildings were damaged in suspected arson attacks in Bilston overnight Thursday into Friday.
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Two cars and four vans were damaged, including a van belonging to a baker who was working at the time.
Emergency services were first called to the old Horse and Jockey pub in Church Street around 3am on Friday morning where a "small fire" had been reported. Then a number of vehicles in Union Street, Bell Street, The Crescent and Greencroft were damaged by fire.
West Midlands Fire Service said it dealt with four fires that had allegedly been set deliberately, all between 3am and 5am, in Church Street, Homers Fold, Wellington Road and the Crescent.
Police on the scene examined CCTV footage and identified a suspect, a man, who was tracked to a park nearby with the help of a dog unit.
Three missiles were thrown at officers and a man tried to strangle a police dog, the force said.
A 39-year-old man was bitten by police dog Snow and taken to hospital. He was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and remained in custody on Friday.
Here is a timeline provided by West Midlands Fire Service chronicling their call out times.
Deliberate fire in a pub
Shortly after 3am on Friday (June 7), we responded to Church Street, Bilston.
Fire engines from Bilston and Tipton attended, the first arriving within three minutes of being mobilised.
This was a deliberate fire, started on the ground floor of a three-storey public house. Crews extinguished the fire with a hose reel.
Police colleagues were also in attendance. We left the scene at 4.23am.
Deliberate vehicle fires
Shortly after 3.15am on Friday, we responded to Homers Fold, Bilston.
A fire engine and crew from Tipton arrived to find three vehicles well alight on the road. Deliberate fires had been started in two cars and a van.
After extinguishing the fires, our firefighters left this incident with police colleagues at 4.19am.
Deliberate vehicle fire
Shortly after 3.25am on Friday, we responded to Wellington Road, Bilston.
A fire engine from Willenhall attended. The crew extinguished a deliberate fire involving a van on the road. Another van parked nearby suffered heat damage. We left this incident at 4.18am.
Deliberate vehicle fire
Shortly after 3.30am on Friday, we responded to The Crescent, Bilston.
A fire engine and a 4×4 brigade response vehicle from Fallings Park attended.
Crews extinguished a deliberate van fire and left the incident with the police shortly after 5am.
