Arson cost Teesside over £25m last year according to Cleveland Fire Brigade

Credit - CLeveland Fire Brigade
The majority of fires caused by arson were on the Eston Hills. Credit: Cleveland Fire Brigade

A fire brigade has said it spent £25m responding to arson attacks over 12 months - which account for 85% of all callouts.

Cleveland Fire Brigade said the cost of arson to the Teesside economy was £25m in 2022/2023.

Over the 12 months, almost 5,000 fires were deliberately set in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees. Of those, 59 of those were in the Eston Hills.

This accounted for 85% of all the fires the brigade attended, the brigade said.

Cleveland Fire Brigade is working with Cleveland Police to try and tackle the problem of people deliberately setting fires across Redcar and Cleveland, especially in Eston Hills.

Police officers will be carrying out high-visibility patrols in the Eston area and will be using drones to monitor Eston Hills.

Robin Turnbull, from Cleveland Fire Brigade said: “These fires divert our resources away from other emergencies where lives may be at risk, as well as destroy our beautiful countryside and outdoor spaces.

“By working with our partners and the local community we hope we can drive down the number of incidents and keep the area we live safe."

He continued: “We would urge residents to be vigilant when out and about. Dispose of rubbish responsibly, only put wheelie bins out on the day of collection and bring them straight back in and report fly tipping to your local council.”

Acting Inspector Rory Sadler is from the Greater Eston Neighbourhood Policing Team. He said: “Starting deliberate fires is wholly irresponsible and can have very serious consequences.

“Not only is there is a risk that the fire could spread and cause further damage, but it also puts lives at risk. If you are caught starting fires, then you will be arrested and could potentially be left with a criminal record.

“We know residents are concerned about deliberate fires on Eston Hills and our neighbourhood officers are working closely with Cleveland Fire Brigade to tackle the issue."

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