POLICE are hunting an arsonist after fire investigators said that a blaze, which caused six homes to be evacuated, was started deliberately.
The fire was started in the yard of a home in Louisa Street, Halliwell, last Thursday.
The yard contained motorbikes and what was believed to be an acetylene gas cylinder. Fire crews stayed at the scene for more than 24 hours, cooling the cylinder by spraying it with water.
Road were closed around Louisa Street until 9.20am on Friday when it was discovered that the cylinder contained oxygen, which is less dangerous once cooled, and the evacuated residents were allowed to go home.
Malcolm McGrath, aged 45, lost a Yamaha Raptor quad bike, an RM250 scrambler bike and a Yamaha R600 motorbike in the blaze.
Mr McGrath ran to warn his neighbours and saved a rottweiler dog from his neighbour’s yard.
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