Arson suspected in string of fires

The police are suspecting arson was the cause of fires which damaged four cars, a bus and a motorcycle in three different localities on Thursday night.

The police received four reports at different times about vehicles being on fire.

The police said the first report came in at about 2.45 a.m. saying that a car and a motorcycle were on fire in Mikiel Anton Vassalli Street, St Julians.

Some time later, at 3.15 a.m., someone reported that two cars were engulfed in a fire in Il-Kummerc Street, Qormi.

Then at 4.40 a.m. someone phoned the police reporting another burning car in Simpson Street, Marsa, and yet another call saying that a bus was on fire in Isouard Street in the same locality.

The police are investigating the fires.

In all the cases, members from the Department of Civil Protection were called to extinguish the fires.

Magistrate Myriam Hayman appointed a team of court experts to help in an inquiry.