12:56pm Sunday 6th December 2009
By Naomi Loomes
AN INVESTIGATION has been launched to find out whether a fire which forced hundreds of people to flee their homes was started deliberately.
Residents in the Friars Walk area of Worthing were finally allowed to return home at 3pm yesterday, after a fire broke out in a car valeting workshop at about 1am on Thursday.
Firefighters had to ensure seven gas cylinders had cooled down before allowing residents from the last 25 homes to return.
Scenes of crimes officers, detectives, fire service investigators and a Home Office scientist will continue their work today to try to find out whether the blaze was arson.
Incident commander Inspector Allan Lowe, of Sussex Police, said: “We had to make sure the area was safe and the cylinders removed before allowing people into the area.
“Now the cylinders are out we can investigate the cause of the fire.
“Finding out the cause could take some time.
“We realise the disruption that has been caused to residents and appreciate their support.
“It is unusual to evacuate so many people but public safety has been of paramount importance in this operation.”
A spokeswoman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: “The scene has been cleared up and residents have been allowed home.
“But fire investigators will still be at the scene for some time.
“There was substantial damage caused by the blaze, which won’t make it easy to find out how it started.”
Darran McArthur, who ran one of the workshops at the heart of the fire, said: “I want to apologise to all the residents and neighbours who have been affected.”
Siobhan Nally, 19, and her sister Frankie, 20, were among the last residents to be allowed back into their Friars Walk home.
Siobhan said: “We have been out of the house for a day and a half and are still in our pyjamas.
“We’ve been out here watching everything going on in the street and it’s been really manic.
“We haven’t been able to go to work or even get dressed."
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