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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Patrick Edrich

Man set fire to block of flats then closed Wallasey Tunnel for hours

A man set fire to the communal area of a block of flats before causing the Wallasey Tunnel to be closed for hours.

Craig Sumner was jailed yesterday for his role in a fire at a block of flats in Vauxhall. The 41-year-old, of Liverpool Road, Cross Heath, Newcastle, appeared at Sefton Magistrates' Court yesterday, November 29.

The court heard at around 2.15pm on Sunday, November 27 a fire was reported on the ground floor communal area of a block of flats on Great Homer Street, Vauxhall. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service was called and crews extinguished the fire.

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Further reports and examinations established the fire could have been caused deliberately. It was later reported there was a concern for the safety of a man at the Vauxhall end of the Kingsway Tunnel, who was alleged to have caused the fire at the apartment.

The tunnel was closed for around four hours while officers dealt with the incident. The man eventually came down from the tunnel and was arrested. Sumner was charged with arson on Monday, November 28 and sentenced the following day.

Detective Inspector Katie Coote said: "I would like to thank our officers and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service who dealt with this dangerous incident in Liverpool. The fire caused significant smoke damage to the ground floor of the apartment and put numerous residents at risk. I hope Sumner can now reflect on his reckless behaviour, and the significant impact his actions could have had on others."

Sumner was jailed for 24 weeks for arson.

Anyone who has information about crime in their community can contact us by sending a DM to @MerPolCC, calling 101 or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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