Arson suspected in Legion club blaze (From Swindon Advertiser)

Arson suspected in Legion club blaze

9:20am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News By David Wiles

Firefighters pictured at the former Royal British Legion Club in Penhill after fire caused serious damage early yesterday morning

THE beleaguered former Royal British Legion Club, in Penhill, was seriously damaged in a suspected arson attack yesterday.

Four fire engines – two from Swindon and two from Stratton – plus an incident command unit, from Stratton, were called to the building in Downton Road at about 5.10am.

A total of 12 firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used four hose reel jets to extinguish the blaze, which damaged the bar and office areas.

Royal British Legion members voted to close the building in August 2010 as the club had become financially unsustainable – and the community has been trying to bring it back into use ever since.

Tim O’Sullivan, a member of the Penhill branch of the Royal British Legion and keyholder of the venue, said it had been broken into several times and the suspected arson attack was another setback.

He said: “We have already had several phone calls from people who are upset.

“At the end of the day, if anybody was to do anything with the building, there’s a lot of damage that’s been done in there by the fire so it’s more money to be spent before the doors could ever be opened. That’s the problem.

“Who is going to spend tens and tens of thousands of pounds to open a place? It could take them a long time to get their investment back.

“The Royal British Legion is a charity and they’re going to have to come and pay thousands of pounds more to get the place secured, otherwise the place might end up on fire again tonight.”

Mr O’Sullivan said the fire damaged both downstairs bar areas and the office. He added that he understood that fires were deliberately lit in the bar area downstairs and also on a desk upstairs, although the second fire did not cause much damage.

He appealed for witnesses to contact the police, adding: “My own personal feeling is the creep or creeps that did this will truly and thoroughly get the punishment they deserve.”

Yesterday, the building looked a sorry state in the snow, smelling of smoke and bound with a cordon stating: “Fire do not cross.”

Matthew Emery, 29, of Downton Road, who witnessed the fire operation, said: “I came past at eight o’clock this morning and there was a fire engine still here – the building was still smouldering.

“By all accounts, there were five fire engines but I only saw one when I came past.

“I’m not surprised the building was on fire. It’s been waiting to happen. I think if you leave a building long enough, it’s going to get damaged.”

A Wiltshire Police spokeswoman said the force received a call at 5.10am about the fire and at 11am crime scene investigators attended the incident, which is being treated as suspected arson.

Anyone with information can call Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.