6:10pm Friday 19th March 2010
By Mike Addison
DETECTIVES investigating a suspicious fire at NHS Cumbria’s offices in Kendal are examining whether there is a link to last month’s blaze at the town’s Conservative offices.
Police are appealing for witnesses after Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service was called to the Tenterfield offices on Brigsteer Road at midnight on Wednesday after a neighbour reported a fire.
On arrival, they found large commercial wheelie bins alight which were located close to the building’s wall and windows.
The fire crew stopped the blaze entering the building and causing serious damage.
Det Insp Dave Banks from Kendal CID said: "We are investigating the full circumstances of the incident and will identify whether there is any evidence to link this to the recent fire at the Conservative offices on Highgate on Friday, February 19.
"At the moment, we are keeping an open mind.
“Anyone who was close to the Tenterfield building at the time or who saw anything out of the ordinary or anyone acting suspiciously, should contact Kendal CID on 0845 33 00 247 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."
Laura Grierson, NHS Cumbria’s head of estates, said: “We are extremely lucky that, thanks to the quick work of the fire and rescue service, this blaze did not spread further and cause significant damage to the offices and endanger the lives of people living nearby.
“We are asking that anyone who might have been in the area of Brigsteer Road on Wednesday evening who may have seen something to please contact police.
“Then we can try to get to the bottom of this incident and catch anyone who might have deliberately put people in danger.”
The previous fire in February completely gutted the offices of the Westmorland and Lonsdale Conservative Party on Highgate and the Green Door Art studios.
l Police have arrested two men aged 30 and 31 in connection with the suspected arson attack on the Conservative headquarters.
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