Suspected arson in underground car park

POLICE are investigating a suspected arson rampage, after two mopeds and a car were totally gutted in a fire in an underground car park in Larnaca on Tuesday night.

By the time the Fire Brigade could put out the flames, another three cars had been slightly damaged, as was part of the exterior of the Nicoletta apartment block.

Samples of the ash were collected and dispatched to the State Laboratory for analysis yesterday morning.

Tests should prove conclusively whether or not the incident was arson or bad luck.

Flames completely destroyed two mopeds, worth £1,600 and owned by Panayiota Panayiotou, and a BMW belonging to Andreas Georgiou, a Larnaca electrician.

It was 8.45pm when witnesses first noticed that Georgiou’s car was on fire in the basement car park of the Nicoletta building on Phaneromeni Street.

The flames spread quickly from the first car to three others, also owned by residents in the building.

The full extent of the damage to the apartment block has not yet been calculated.