A 13-year-old boy has been detained on suspicion of attempted murder following a blaze at a Welsh rugby club. An 11-year-old boy is receiving treatment at Morriston Hospital after sustaining serious injuries in the fire at Trimsaran RFC, near Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire, at the weekend.
Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that a storage container used to house equipment at the club's ground is thought to have been deliberately set alight on Saturday afternoon. The club revealed that the young boy had become trapped inside the burning container and had to be pulled to safety by several club members.
The 13-year-old was taken into custody on suspicion of attempted murder and arson in connection with the incident, before being released on bail while enquiries into the circumstances continue, reports Wales Online. The injured boy remains in hospital in a stable condition, according to a police statement.
Emergency Response
Several fire crews were dispatched to the scene at approximately 6:15 pm on Saturday, as thick black smoke billowed from one of the storage containers at Trimsaran RFC. In a post on their Facebook page, Trimsaran RFC stated that the fire caused a lot of damage to their equipment, while paying tribute to the heroism of the club members who stepped in to rescue the boy.
"I'm sure that a lot of people are aware that there was an issue on our fields on Saturday afternoon where one of our storage containers were set on fire causing a lot of damage to our equipment," Trimsaran RFC said. "The main thing is that a young boy was trapped inside and only got out due to the heroism of some of our club members."
Statements from Authorities
A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police stated: "Dyfed-Powys Police received a report of a fire at Trimsaran Rugby Club on Saturday, May 23 at around 6:15 pm. A container was allegedly set alight deliberately, causing extensive damage to the container and its contents. An 11-year-old boy suffered serious injuries during the incident and remains in a stable condition in hospital. A 13-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of arson and attempted murder. They have been released on conditional bail. The investigation is ongoing."
A spokesperson for Mid and West Fire and Rescue Service stated: "At 6:15 pm on Saturday, May 23, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Llanelli, Pont-iets and Kidwelly Fire Stations were mobilised to an incident at Trimsaran Rugby Social Club. The crews responded to a fire involving one shipping container used for storage. The crews utilised two breathing apparatus sets, two hose reel jets, e-draulic spreaders, ladders and thermal imaging cameras to extinguish the fire. The fire had spread to a neighbouring property and affected its roof space. The fire is believed to have been started deliberately. The crew left the scene at 7:56 pm."
