Arsonists were today blamed for causing two fires on Canvey's Occidental Jetty.

Both the island's fire crews made their way to the £10million docking bay, off Northwick Road, at 2pm on Saturday.

Firefighters had to climb steps to get onto the mile-long landmark, which is 40 foot from ground level, and they quickly discovered the blaze had been started within a steel container.

White watch commander Martin Roebuck said: "We had to be careful putting out the fire because there was a gas cylinder inside.

"It was potentially a dangerous situation.

"Old furniture had been set alight, probably by youths."

Mr Roebuck told how there are two steel containers - like the ones which make up articulated lorries - on the landmark.

He said he checked the other one was secure before they left the scene on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Roebuck was therefore surprised when a member of the public called yesterday at 6.30pm to report another fire.

He said: "When we got up there again it was a hell of a shock to find a Peugeot 205 burning away. "There was no way it could have been driven up there.

"We noticed the other container had been broken into, so the car must have been in there."

He added: "We believe arsonists were responsible for both fires."

Published Monday, February 24, 2003

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