Arson suspected in Salisbury sheltered housing fire

Residents of a sheltered housing complex in Salisbury were rescued by firefighters

Police want to speak to three young people seen close to sheltered housing shortly before the complex caught fire in a suspected arson attack.

The "lives of vulnerable and elderly people were put at risk" by a fire started in the stairwell of flats in Tintern Court, Salisbury, police said.

The fire began at about 22:00 BST on Sunday and spread to three flats.

Three people were rescued by firefighters and another person was led to safety. No-one was badly injured.

Det Insp Dean Garvin, of Wiltshire Police CID, said: "We are keeping an open mind in this investigation, but currently all the signs point to the idea that this fire was started deliberately.

"If not for the swift actions of our colleagues in fire and rescue who extinguished this fire and evacuated residents, the potential consequences of this do not bear thinking about."

Mr Garvin has urged those responsible "to consider their actions, do the right thing and hand themselves in".

The fire started in the stairwell and spread to the first floor of the two-storey block of flats

An off-duty firefighter had already helped one resident to safety when the first crew from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service reached the flats.

Three more people were rescued, one by ladder, and one with the use of a fire escape hood, which protects the person when moving through smoke. Three people were treated for smoke inhalation.

Group manager Tim Gray said: "Crews worked incredibly hard to contain this fire and prevent it spreading to the roof and into the adjacent flats.

"In addition, having no casualties other than one resident taken to hospital for precautionary checks, is a great relief, given how this incident could have developed."