Lives put at risk as family home goes up in flames in early morning arson attack in Sheffield

Neighbours heard the sound of terrified screams when the house on Grange Crescent, Sharrow, was engulfed in flames in the early hours of yesterday.

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Fire crews from across Sheffield were deployed to the house blaze and spent around two hours at the scene extinguishing the flames and damping down.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said an investigation established that the fire was started ‘deliberately’.

A police probe into the incident is now under way, with officers said to have spent most of the day in Sharrow yesterday examining the scene and investigating.

Jim Steinke, a Labour councillor for Nether Edge and Sharrow, said: “I have just been around the area of the fire, and talked with members of the family, neighbours and the police, who are maintaining a presence there in the immediate future.“The fire was truly awful and threatened the lives of not just adults, but children, and we all need to assist the police as much as possible in bringing those that did it to justice.

“This part of Sharrow is a great place to live and we need to make sure that it remains so, and we do not let things like this, ruin it.

“People from all different backgrounds live in Sharrow, and there is a great community spirit, which makes crimes like this, even more shocking.”

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South Yorkshire Police has been approached for a statement.

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