Islington Tribune - by EMMANUELLA FRANCIS Published: 09 January 2009
Rosemary Goody: ‘I was scared for my neighbours’
Arsonists cause £5k of damage
RESIDENTS on a quiet Holloway estate are still reeling after arsonists destroyed two mopeds and a disability scooter in a petrol attack on Sunday. A house was almost set ablaze on Courtney Court, Courtney Road, when vandals caused more than £5,000 worth of damage in the attack. Neighbours had to be evacuated as the blaze spread to a nearby gas mains, causing further alarm.
The blaze began just after midnight and emergency services were immediately alerted by neighbours who smelt the fire. Residents were evacuated as firefighters battled to keep it from completely destroying a gas supply.
Victim Daniel Howroyd, 24, whose father is disabled, said: “Our mopeds and one of my Dad’s mobility scooters are completely destroyed. “The fire brigade response was great – without them our house would have burnt down.”
Mr Howroyd said his family is still without gas, adding: “We only got our electricity back on Wednesday and we hope to have gas back by Thursday.”
Neighbour Rosemary Goody, 51, a customer services manager whose own house suffered fire damage in an unrelated incident eight weeks previously, said: “I couldn’t believe it. This sort of thing doesn’t usually happen in this area. I was scared for my neighbours and for our houses.”
Anyone with information should call DS Rob Ryan from Islington CID on 0207 421 0184, or Crimestoppers anony mously on 0800 555 111.