Teach children about fire safety – that is the vital message from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Children and young people need to know exactly what to do if fire breaks out in their home, said Community Fire Safety officer Charlie Cartwright.

They must also know how to take sensible precautions to prevent a blaze, he said.

“There’s nothing more important than the safety of a child in the home. Get into the habit of taking a quick glance around the room for hazards to make safety an automatic reflex and for peace of mind.

Police are investigating a deliberate attempt to set an Oswestry home on fire while four people were inside.

A senior detective appealed for information to help identify the arsonists following the incident at a house in Maple Court shortly after 1am today.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service notified the police at 1.18am they were attending the fire.
Two adults - a man and a woman - and two children aged three and a three-month-old baby, escaped without injury.

The woman suffered from the effects of smoke inhalation and was given oxygen to help her recover.

West Mercia Police have launched an investigation into arson attacks on seven cars during the early hours of today (27^th April). Three further incidents of criminal damage to vehicles and a burglary are also being linked.

The first incident happened at around 3.15am on 27^th April when Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to a car fire in Middleton Road. This vehicle was a white MG Maestro registration number G223 UTO this had been stolen from Newton Abbot in Devon during the night of 23^rd/24^th April.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service are asking residents to be vigilant in the Sutton Hill area of Telford following several fires involving wheelie bins, recycling bins and bushes.

The first incident was reported at 9:46pm on Sunday 10^th April 2011 in the Southgate area. On arrival the Crew from Tweedale found a fire involving a bush.

Approximately half an hour later the crew attended a second incident in the Sunnymead area, where there were three seats of fire involving wheelie bins and recycling bins.

Firefighters wore chemical protection suits to investigate a leaking drum spilled from the boot of a car which ended up on its roof after a crash in a simulated training exercise involving many of Shropshire’s emergency services.

They contained the mystery chemical into a secure drum before using Shropshire's Fire Control based at Shrewsbury brigade HQ to check from the damaged label that the substance was sulphuric acid which had leaked in the accident on the A49 at Marshbrook – all part of the training exercise scenario.