Arson attack 'risked lives'

AN ARSON attack which severely damaged the former St George’s Hospital building will not stop refurbishment plans, property magnate Fred Pritchard has said.

The Pritchard Group chief executive slammed the arsonists for putting lives at risk following the blaze, which started in the early hours of Saturday.

A police investigation is now under way.

The fire is believed to have started in the central tower of the derelict Corporation Street building and spread to the west annexe. Smoke could be seen from more than a mile away on Saturday afternoon.

Firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 3.30am and it took 26 hours to bring the fire completely under control, with one crew still on site on Monday.

Station Manager Stan Cooper said: “Initially firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were sent into the building but they were later withdrawn for safety reasons and from that point we tackled the fire externally.”

The building is due to be converted into apartments and workspace but work was put on hold because of the recession.

Mr Pritchard said there had been problems with vandals and thieves going onto the land, despite security measures including nine feet high fencing, barbed wire and frequent guard patrols.

“Why these mindless idiots are going on there and vandalising the building I will never know,” he said. “They risk life and limb in doing it and the lives of innocent people who may have to save them.

“The refurbishment can still go ahead but it is subject to structural engineers’ reports on the integrity of the structural qualities of the building.

It is currently in a condition where floorboards are burnt out.”