Arsonists targeted (From Barry And District News)

Arsonists targeted

THOUSANDS of pounds could be going up in smoke because businesses in the Vale of Glamorgan are not sufficiently protecting themselves against arson attacks.

Over the last year South Wales Fire and Rescue Service was called to 11 deliberately started fires, involving business and commercial premises, in the Vale of Glamorgan area.

With the average cost of commercial building fires estimated at 58,000, the economic cost of these 11 fires alone is 638,000, not including the expense of subsequent lost business revenue.

As well as causing severe property damage, deliberately started fires can result in the death of or injuries to staff and firefighters, loss of jobs and possible company closure.

More than 70 percent of the businesses that experience severe fire damage never trade effectively again.

Of the 11 fires in the Vale, seven were caused by combustible materials such as packaging or rubbish bags left outside the business or commercial premises and set alight by criminal fire-setters.

If these fires are not reported quickly enough, they can rapidly spread to the main buildings, often causing extensive damage .

To raise awareness of this issue among local businesses, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has joined forces with the Vale of Glamorgan Council's Visible Services department.

Together they will be targeting owners, occupiers and managers of business premises with a leaflet on the proactive measures they can take to protect themselves against arson attacks.

The leaflets, which outline the dangers and consequences of failing to store unwanted waste and rubbish correctly, will be delivered to all businesses in the area over the coming months.

Community Safety Advisor, Russell Phillips, is co-ordinating the campaign for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

He said: "The advice we are offering to all business and commercial property owners is based on experience - taking simple and often common-sense steps like dealing with waste and rubbish properly, will help keep a business safe from deliberate fires.

"By reducing the opportunities for people to maliciously start rubbish fires near business premises, we can all make a joint and determined effort to make the area safer for everyone, and significantly reduce the risk to business, local economy and employment opportunities.

"South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is also working closely with the Preventing Anti-Social Crime Together group, which has been set up in Barry, and will be tackling the issue of business arson as one of its priorities."