Tyne and Wear Fire issue message to residents amid spike in wheelie bin fires

Firefighters have revealed a spate of deliberate wheelie bin fires that have cost the taxpayers more than £3000 in just three months.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) has revealed a spike in wheelie bin fires, with 132 incidents reported since the start of the year.

The 132 wheelie bin fires include 50 in the West Denton area of Newcastle, where firefighters have been working with Your Homes Newcastle to secure residential bins.

TWFRS has revealed that the recent fires could cost as much as £3000, with replacement bins averaging out at £25 each.

Station manager Ian Stewart said: “We are experiencing issues with wheelie bin fires across the service area and we are working closely with police, the local authority and housing providers to address it.

“Many of these bin fires are linked to youth anti-social behaviour and we are concerned that some young people are putting themselves at risk.

“They may consider this to be harmless fun but it leaves the taxpayer out of pocket, residents with no bin and young people are putting themselves at risk.

“We are proactively looking to engage with young people and signpost them towards some of the great activities available in the community.

“But we need the support of parents as some young people may not understand the financial burden this creates for our region so we need your support to help educate them.

“We also need to know who those responsible are so we can help prevent them from injuring themselves and help divert them away from activity that could lead to them getting in trouble with the police.

“Residents are encouraged to take steps to secure their bins, perhaps by chaining them together. But please avoid chaining your bin to your home as this could put your home at risk if the bins are set alight.”

Ed Foster, head of Public Safety and Regulation at Newcastle City Council, said: “Tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour is a top priority for us as we know the detrimental impact it can have on the lives of our residents.

“Setting fire to wheelie bins is incredibly dangerous and the attacks put unnecessary pressures on resources.

“Everybody should feel safe in their own home and in their neighbourhoods so we will continue to working closely with our partners to identify the offenders and keep our communities safe.

“As the weather improves and during the school holidays, we will be encouraging young people to take part in a wide range of programmes across the city, where they can gain valuable life skills and thrive.”

Sergeant Euan Faulke of Northumbria Police said: “We won’t tolerate antisocial behaviour as we know it can have a harmful impact on our communities.

“As a Force we will continue to support our partners in preventing and tackling these types of incidents through effective team work and information sharing.

“We would ask the public continues to support us by getting in touch whenever they see a crime being committed, or have information about any type of suspicious activity.”