Fire at proposed asylum seeker housing treated as arson

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 14:08 · Archive

A fire at Roman Court in Leverington, Cambridgeshire, earmarked for asylum seeker housing, is being treated as arson.

A fire at Roman Court, a former sheltered housing complex in Leverington, Cambridgeshire, has been treated as arson by police. Emergency services were called just after 7.30pm on Wednesday evening. The building was empty at the time and nobody was injured, but police confirmed it had been severely damaged in the blaze. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said 21 crews attended from multiple stations and worked to prevent the fire from spreading.

The site had been earmarked by the Home Office for use as asylum seeker accommodation. According to Fenland District Council, the Home Office letter said Roman Court could 'provide 26 bed spaces for mothers and babies' and had been approved for further consideration as dispersal accommodation. Fenland District Council opposed the proposal and submitted a full objection to the Home Office on 7 October. The Daily Mail reports that more than 200 people marched through the village, which has a population of around 3,000, following the announcement. The council said the plans posed 'real risks to both asylum seekers and local residents'.

How it is being reported

• Arsonist is blamed for fire at former sheltered housing complex controversially earmarked for asylum seekersLocals had been protesting against the proposition of the site housing asylum seekers in the days before the blaze in Leverington, Cambridgeshire.Daily Mail · 22 Oct, 13:51
• Horror fire breaks out at proposed asylum seeker housing in LeveringtonThe site is believed to feature 21 self-contained flats.Daily Express · 22 Oct, 08:35

In this story: Roman Court · Leverington · Cambridgeshire · Fenland District Council · Home Office · Cambridgeshire Police · Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem