Dudley community centre suffers tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage in arson attack - forcing fun day cancellation

The blaze at Fens Pool Community Centre on Tuesday morning (August 19) resulted in a gaping hole in the roof and severe smoke damage at the single-storey brick building off Tennyson Street off Chapel Street in Pensnett, near Brierley Hill.

Firefighters arrived at the premises shortly after 4.30am following reports of flames and smoke spewing at the site which was due to host its popular summer fun fair later in the day.

Devastated event organisers and residents rushed to the scene as the drama unfolded, but could only watch on as fire crews tackled the flames at the activity hub which is owned and operated by the Fens Pool Voluntary Association. 

The  association's treasurer T-Jay Spittle said: "The fire service advised us that they were pretty sure it was arson. Our vice-chairperson Tracey Bowen was alerted to it by her phone. When she checked it, she saw that the centre's fire alarm had been triggered. She saw that the place was ablaze. 

"It started some point after 4am and took hold of the timbers in the roof cavity. The fire never reached the ground, but it took a lot of our assets with it. The fire crew arrived and started to fight it immediately.

"I was told the building was blazing. We've lost our supplies and there's a massive hole in the roof. They've had to rip it down to prevent it from collapsing. Thankfully they were able to put it out, but there is extensive damage. Everything is absolutely wrecked and the roof will need replacing.

"Hopefully we won't have to knock it down altogether. Everyone is sad because its not just about the impact on the building, it's the emotional impact on the people and the volunteers who have poured everything into it over the last three years.

"It is mindboggling what's happened. We've achieved quite a lot in that time. We were supposed to have a fun fair today and we've had to cancel that. We're also part of the HAF(holiday activities programme) and we've hosted a lot of events and activities over the school holidays to get the kids off the streets and provide something for them to do. On Saturday we took 153 people to Blackpool for a day out and they absolutely loved it.

"The funfair today was meant to the showcase event of our summer programme. We spent £1,000 on food and all that has been destroyed."

"We're not going to let one person's stupidity ruin the thousands of happiness we've seen here due to the HAF programme which over the years has at drawn people from all over the Black Country here," the apprentice roofer added.

The residents manage the centre themselves with the help of donations and grant funding to put on activities for children and adults. More than 250 children were expected to attend the fun day on Tuesday instead stunned families from the vicinity arrived to survey the extent of the damage.

Association founder chairman Rebecca Spittle, aged 42, said: "I am absolutely gutted and lost for words. This place was 100 per cent set up for the children to come in and enjoy the activities.

"I would open the doors and they would come in and have fun or we'd go litter picking. Now it's gone."

Vice-chairperson Tracey Bowen, aged 43, said: "We are gutted for the community. It's all the hard work that's gone on behind the scenes that's gone into here. It's hard chasing the grants, but worth it when we see the kids enjoying themselves. That's why it's so upsetting to see it all go up in smoke. We've lost everything."

Brockmoor and Pensnett ward representative Councillor Steve Edwards joined volunteers at the scene helping to with the clean up operation at the centre which he said was the heart of the community.

"The fire caused tens of thousands pounds worth of damage. There's a hole in the roof over the storeroom.

"It will probably need a new roof."

Large piles of burned debris including office equipment, slush and popcorn machines, melted chairs, insulating material, fizzy drink cans could be seen in the grounds of the premises as volunteers began the clean up operation. In addition to the hole above the storerooms, the walls of the function room and the kitchen were left blackened due to smokelogging. 

It is thought that the seat of the fire was near a tree at the rear of the building.

 At the height of the blaze West Midlands Fire Service urged people to 'avoid the area'. Four crews from Brierley Hill, Tipton, Dudley and Haden Cross attended the scene - arriving within four minutes. Dudley Council and West Midlands Police also attended as the investigation got under way.

West Midlands Fire Service stated: "This was a fire in a single-storey building used as a community centre, affecting around 30 per cent of the roof space. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used three hose reels to extinguish the fire.

"Crews have stripped away areas of the ceiling to damp down hotspots. Dudley Council and West Midlands Police colleagues have been in attendance at this incident. There were no casualties or injuries.

"We have scaled down our resources and two fire engines remain at the scene. Firefighters continue to clear the building of remaining property and are expected to leave the scene shortly.

“It's believed this fire started deliberately.”

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "We were alerted to a fire at premises on Chapel Street, Pensnett at around 5am this morning (19 August).

"It’s suspected the fire may have been started deliberately and we are working with fire investigators to establish the cause."

Witnesses or anyone with information should phone 101 quoting log 515 of August 19.