A HOUSING firm has reassured its residents it is taking multiple incidents of suspected arson ‘extremely seriously’ after reports of five fires breaking out at garages it owns in Bracknell in the space of five months.
Neighbours have raised safety concerns after repeated fires have been reporter at Merryhill garages in Bracknell, a site owned by Silva Homes, with one neighbour warning it is only a matter of time before someone is hurt.
One incident involved a flames tearing through the structure at 2am on July 31 in two neighbouring garages on Hart Close, Bracknell – with pictures showing the blaze and aftermath of the scene.
One nearby resident Rafael Cayenne-Mensah, who lives approximately 150 metres away, said he woke up smelling smoke, and worried that the fire was in his property. He fears the issue is 'getting out of hand'.
Silva Homes, the company that run the site, were criticised by residents who say the garages have become a hotspot for fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour. The garages are set to be demolished and replaced with more housing.
Neighbour Brian Ackroyd said: “The only reason they’ve got that way is because Silva Homes has neglected them.”
He warned that if something isn’t done, ‘eventually somebody would get hurt’.
Another resident, Kelly Hargreaves, claimed that ‘there’s nobody from Silva monitoring the garages’, and that ‘when fly-tipping is reported, nothing is done’. She further suggested that garages with rubbish in them were being boarded up.
Guy Hunter from Silva Homes said: “The safety of customers is our number one priority. We share our customers’ concerns and are taking the fires at Merryhill Road garages extremely seriously.”
He added that they are aware of two fires and have been increasing patrols of the area ‘to ensure the space is clear and safe’. The fires Silva Homes have received reports of are dated February 20 and July 31.
Mr Hunter said Silva homes wants to work ‘closely with the community to manage and remove any reports of fly tipping and to encourage responsible waste disposal’.
He added that residents should ‘continue reporting all fires and any anti-social behaviour’ so Silva Homes and emergency services can ‘investigate and respond appropriately’.
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