Fire on Orchard Street: West Mercia Police give update

Firefighters told police they believed the blaze in Orchard Street was arson but officers were unable to determine the cause.

Loud explosions woke up concerned neighbours at about 3am on Monday morning (June 26).

They dashed to call 999 with the fire service receiving multiple reports about the large fire.

A car and a van were destroyed in the blazed while two other cars suffered from heat damage and a garage was largely damaged.

Police said it was recorded as arson because the fire service was suspicious about the cause of the fire.

"Unfortunately, due to the fire’s intensity, it has destroyed all forensic evidence so we cannot confirm for certain if it is or not," said a spokesperson from West Mercia Police.

A spokesperson said: "Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service was called out to a fire in the open in Worcester at 3.59am [on Monday].

"Two Worcester Fire Station crews attended the scene in Orchard Street at the rear of Bath Road properties.

The aftermath of the fire (Image: Paul Styles)

"We received 10 calls about the incident.

"One van and a car were 100 per cent destroyed by fire with two further cars having minor heat damage while a detached garage was 25 per cent damaged by fire.

"Three hose reel jets, four breathing apparatus units, tools and a thermal imaging camera were used to tackle the incident which was left with the police at 5.37am.

"There were no casualties and hazards included a camping gas cylinder.”

Paul Styles, who lives on neighbouring Stanley Street, said: “It was in the early hours, I was awoken at about 3am.

“My whole bedroom was lit up bright red and I could hear explosions.

“My first thought was ‘oh no my shed has gone up in flames’.

“I went out into the back garden and could see that two of my neighbours’ cars had gone up in flames.

“Everybody is okay it just seems so strange as there was another fire last week and then a few weeks before that a flat caught on fire.”