Wednesday 2 August 2017

Firefighter charged over fire that ripped through Kurri Kurri

BY JESSICA ROUSE

UPDATE:

A firefighter accused of lighting bushfires around Cessnock during the January heatwave has been stood down by Fire and Rescue NSW.

Joshua Lambkin is charged with lighting three fires at Kurri Kurri, Loxford and Chinamamn's Hollow.

At the time the 28-year-old was an on-call firefighter at the Abermain fire station.

Lambkin has been granted conditional bail to face Cessnock Court on September 6.

His younger brother Craig has also been charged over the fires.

EARLIER:

Two men have now been charged over four bushfires which threatened homes in Kurri Kurri earlier this year.

Strike Force detectives have been investigating the fires which ripped through Chinamans Hollow, Hart Road at Loxford and McLeod Road at Kurri Kurri on 18th January, after fears the fires had been deliberately lit. The detectives were assisted by Crime Squad's Arson unit as well which helped lead to the arrests.

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A 28-year-old man was arrested at his home in Weston on Monday (31 July 2017) and taken to Maitland Police Station where he was charged with four counts of intentionally causing a fire and concealing the indictable offence of another person.

He was granted conditional bail and will appear at Cessnock Local Court in September.

NSW Fire and Rescue also say the man has been suspended from his duties.

The other offender, a 27-year-old man was arrested yesterday and charged with three counts of intentionally causing a fire and refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today.

Strike Force detectives say they are still continuing their inquiries into the cause of the January fires.

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