AN investigation has been launched to establish the cause of two suspicious car fires outside a house in Chelmsford.

Elliot Furniss

AN investigation has been launched to establish the cause of two suspicious car fires outside a house in Chelmsford.

Two cars were set alight, one on the driveway of an end of terrace house in Eastern Crescent and another just metres away.

The fires were started at just before 2am this morning and as the vehicles burned the fierce flames began to damage the nearby house.

Two fire crews were sent to the scene and firefighters used breathing apparatus and hose reel jets to tackle the blaze.

The fires were eventually extinguished after more than half an hour and nobody was injured.

Leading Firefighter Carl Smith said: “The original call was only for a one car fire and only one machine was sent.

“Upon arrival, another was immediately called and firefighters used breathing apparatus and two hose reel during the incident.

“The fire service did an excellent job under arduous conditions to stop the house being completely affected by the fire.”

He said a joint police and fire service investigation would now be carried out into the incident, which is being treated as suspicious.