Police have released a statement after a large grass fire next to a leisure centre was deemed to be 'deliberate'. A crew from Shirebrook Fire Station was alerted to a fire at Oak Tree Heath Nature Reserve in Mansfield shortly after 7pm on July 15 and raced to the scene to find two seats of fire, the first around 400 square metres and the second 600 square metres.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service sent seven fire engines and a water carrier in conjunction with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, where they surrounded the blaze to prevent it spreading to a nearby leisure centre. The fire was finally extinguished around 10pm.
A post from Nottinghamshire Police said: "Nottinghamshire Police and Fire Service are currently in attendance to a large scale fire which we believe to have been a deliberate ignition on the Oaktree Heath beside the Leisure Centre. We urge anybody who may have witnessed something to call us on 101 quoting incident 0713_15072022."
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The public were urged later on in the night to stay away from the area as the firefighters dampened down the area and make it safe, and to close windows and doors in they smell smoke. Group Manager Archer said: "Crews have surrounded the blaze and prevented it from spreading to the nearby leisure centre. Thank you to our partners from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service for their support and use of Clay Cross's water carrier at this incident."
Station Manager Turner from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service later tweeted: "The fire has been extinguished but we will remain on scene for a few more hours dampening down and making the area safe. Thank you to the local community for their cooperation as we deal with the incident."
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