Councillor's anger as blaze in derelict homes in Cromwell Road is confirmed to be arson attack

A councillor has spoken of his anger as three derelict homes in Peterborough were badly damaged by fire.

A blaze started in the row of houses on Cromwell Road, across the street from Peterborough Bus Station, on Thursday morning.

Now Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service have confirmed the fire was started by arsonists.

The houses, which are owned by Peterborough City Council have been a magnet for criminal and anti-social behaviour in recent months, with the council boarding up the buildings and moving on squatters.

But now councillor Mohammed Jamil, who represents the Central Ward, has spoken of his anger – saying the council could have prevented the fire.

He said: “I was so angry when I saw the fire.

"This has been an incident waiting to happen.

"I don’t know why the houses were shut down in the first place.”We have people staying in B&Bs and hotels because they don’t have homes, which costs the council money, and we are not using the housing stock we already have. These are good homes, that were built to last.

"When they were boarded up, it did not look good for the city – it is one of the first things people see as they come in, and it looked awful.

"We know people who take drugs use the homes, and even though they were boarded up, we knew people were always going to be able to get in.

"I don’t know what will happen to the homes now. We have been waiting for the Westgate development for so long, and it probably won’t happen for another five or six years.”

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “More than 20 firefighters, including crews from Stanground, Dogsthorpe, Yaxley and Whittlesey, along with a crew from Market Deeping in Lincolnshire, attended the incident.

“Firefighters arrived to find a well-developed fire involving seven derelict buildings. Wearing breathing apparatus they extinguished the fire using hose reels and jets and returned to their stations by 3.45pm.

“The cause of the fire was deliberate. Anyone with information should contact police by visiting www.cambs.police.uk to submit an online report or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”

The Peterborough Telegraph has contacted Peterborough City Council for comment about the homes.