A 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of arson over a large fire in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Police said.
The force said the arrests were in relation to a grass fire at around 4.15pm on Thursday at the back of Maureen Avenue, Goldenhill, which spread quickly. Four homes were affected, alongside a number of gardens, the force said, but fire crews have since brought the blaze under control.
Arrests and investigation
The pair were arrested on Friday morning. Detective Inspector Emma Kempson said: “We are continuing to work at pace to investigate the circumstances surrounding yesterday’s fire, which has culminated in the arrests today.
“Goldenhill Community Centre on Drummond Street was set up to provide support to evacuated individuals and others affected. We’re now working alongside Stoke-on-Trent City Council and have moved the location to Goldenhill Working Men’s Club on Mobberley Road.”
Community support and ongoing police presence
Kempson added: “We’ve still got a number of officers in the area today and I can assure the local community we are actively working to investigate this surge in recent fires across Staffordshire.”
