Passer-by alerts fire crews to store blaze (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Passer-by alerts fire crews to store blaze

2:20pm Monday 18th February 2013 in News By Telegraph & Argus

An arson attack at a supermarket “could have been a lot worse” if a passer-by had not noticed the flames, according to firefighters.

The blaze started outside Tesco in Northgate, Cleckheaton, at about 8.30pm on Saturday.

Between 30 and 50 wheeled cages, which had been used to deliver goods, were waiting to be picked up from a loading bay behind the supermarket. Inside the cages were piles of empty cardboard boxes.

The passer-by saw the fire and a crew from Cleckheaton fire station was called out.

Crew Commander Steve Leach said: “Persons unknown set fire to numerous cages. This was quite a big fire. If it had been right up against the building, it could have been a lot worse.

“I don’t think these youths appreciated how dangerous it could have been.

“They were lucky that a passer-by noticed it from the street straight away.”