|
[02 MAR 01]
CRIMES, FIRES & ACCIDENTS
Vandals Torch
Coventry Sports Centre
Vandals
nearly sent Coventry Sports Centre up in smoke last night when a
fire in a toilet was deliberately started.
The
blaze broke out shortly before 9pm. Fire crews were called to the
building and discovered a blaze in a toilet in the fourth floor.
It
was contained quickly, but could have caused extensive
damage to the centre had it
not been spotted earlier.
The
toilets themselves had been recently refurbished as part of
decoration work in the centre.
Thick smoke and
fumes prevented staff from putting the blaze out themselves as
plastic fittings in the toilet melted in the heat.
An
investigation revealed that a plastic toilet roll holder had been
deliberately set alight.
Centre
manager Ian Lole said the building was open as usual today.
He
said:
"It
was a gents toilet on the fourth floor, about as far as away
from reception as you can be.
"There
is a lot of smoke damage in the toilet, and a little bit of
damage outside the toilet on the landing, but the rest of the
building was fine.
"We
didn't let people back in after the fire had been put out
because there was an acrid smell and it was close to closing
time, but the sports cente is open as usual."
|
