Arsonists started a blaze which badly damaged a bungalow.

Two crews of firefighters from Clacton were called to Sunbeam Avenue, Jaywick, today and spent a couple of hours at the scene.

When they arrived at about 1.45am, the front door of the property had been forced open and the kitchen was well ablaze.

Leading firefighter Robert Ward said they had to find another way into the bungalow as the wooden floor had been destroyed.

"I sent in crews with breathing apparatus who took about ten minutes to put the blaze out and isolate the electrics," he said.

Mr Ward said the kitchen at the bungalow was virtually gutted and the rest of the property was smoke damaged.

"There was no-one at the bungalow as it was being renovated," he added.

"The blaze is being treated as suspicious and we started a fire investigation there today and that will carry on throughout the day."

Published Thursday, June 5, 2003

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