The fire service was called to a report of a building fire with children trapped inside. Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service mobilised just before 7pm on Monday (June 13) evening to an incident off Inham Road in Chilwell.
Highfields Fire Station crews arrived quickly at the scene of a building fire, and two firefighters were deployed with breathing apparatus, while further firefighters were sent into the basement. Long Eaton Fire Station, paramedics and Nottinghamshire Police officers also attended the scene.
A Facebook post from Stapleford Fire Station said: "It's possibly the incident we dread the most, a report of a building on fire with children trapped inside. No children were found, which was a sigh of relief."
Read more: New Arnold Market Place details emerge as business puts in application to trade there
Following investigations, the fire was found to have been started deliberately.
Throughout Monday evening and into Tuesday (June 14) morning, fire crews attended a total of three separate incidents at Wheatgrass Farm. Initial investigations have found these fires have been set deliberately, and the fire service is working with Nottinghamshire Police and others to identify the offenders with a view to taking appropriate action.
On more than one occasion, a large pile of wood and rubbish was set fire to. On several occasions, fires have also been set within an adjacent derelict building.
Jonathan Holford, group manager for Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue, said: "Deliberate fire-setting is dangerous and can have serious consequences for not only the perpetrators but also landowners and the environment. Luckily these fires were extinguished by our fire crews shortly after our arrival and no injuries have been reported, however, fires like these can easily get out of hand and can cause significant harm.
"Dealing with deliberate fires ties up our valuable resources and takes emergency service personnel away from real emergencies and other valuable prevention and protection work that we deliver within our communities."
Sergeant Heather Harding, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "We have received reports of a spate of fires in Inham Road, Chilwell, over the last few weeks. This includes reports of two separate fires on Monday (June 13) and a further fire in the early hours of Tuesday (June 14) shortly after 4.30am.
"Thankfully no-one has been reported to have been injured during these incidents. We are working alongside Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service to investigate all of these incidents and would urge anyone with any information to come forward and speak to us or speak to a patrolling officer."
Anyone with any information about the fires is asked to call 101, quoting incident number 599 of June 9, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
