LONDON--A man was held on suspicion of arson on Thursday after a spate of fires across Oxfordshire, including a blaze which devastated a council office building, which police believe were started deliberately.
Firefighters said they were first alerted to a blaze at a thatched cottage shortly after 0300 GMT before being alerted to further fires 10 minutes later at a funeral parlour and South Oxfordshire District Council offices in Wallingford, south of Oxford.
"We are in the process of dealing with three major fires in South Oxfordshire, which occurred within a very short timeframe," Oxfordshire's chief fire officer said in a statement.
More than 20 fire engines were sent to tackle the blazes and witnesses told local media a car might have been driven into the council offices.
"A 47-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and is currently in custody," Thames Valley Police said in a statement.
"At this stage the police investigation is focusing on all three fires being linked and are believed suspicious."
Reuters
