University officials have confirmed there has been a deliberate attempt of arson in Wentworth college on the afternoon of Tuesday May 2nd.
Students and lecturers were evacuated from lectures and seminars at approximately 13:40 pm and assembled outside Wentworth College reception to await further instruction. The fire service rushed to the scene in 15 minutes, where 5 fire engines were called out to respond to the incident.
Teeling added “above one of the toilets upstairs above the ceiling tile, somebody has set fire to something, which would have burnt the building.”
Senior Lecturer at Wentworth based Sociology Department, Dr Amanda Rees tweeted:
Apparently a deliberate attempt to burn down Wentworth College, home of @UoYSociology and @UoY_SATSU https://t.co/MS5yUKjnum
— Amanda Rees (@amandarees9) May 2, 2017
At 14:25 after a 40 minute wait, University of York Health and Fire Safety Officer, Chris Teeling, confirmed to the anxious students that this was “a deliberate attempt to burn Wentworth Nucleus down.”
The incident was reported after a quick thinking passer by set off a manual call point.
Teeling praised the currently unknown individual, saying “they’ve done the right thing,” and further called for them to “please come and speak to us”
An investigation into the exact details of the arson is still ongoing, Teeling told students “the fire brigade are investigating further” encouraging witnesses that “if you have any information please speak to the fire safety team.”
This in ongoing story and will be updated with more details as they arrive.