Overview
- A campervan exploded and caught fire at the junction of Beaconsfield Street and School Street in Acomb on Thursday night, producing a visible fireball and waking nearby residents.
- Firefighters attended the scene at about 10.45pm and officers evacuated several houses as a precaution while no ambulance vehicles were deployed.
- North Yorkshire Police have arrested a 58-year-old man on suspicion of arson; he remains in custody as the force treats the incident as isolated.
- The blaze caused local property damage, melting parts of two cars, breaking shop windows including a barbershop, and left a police cordon covering about one-third of Beaconsfield Street while a recovery and clean-up operation continued.
- Officers have appealed for CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage and asked anyone with information to call 101 or Crimestoppers quoting incident NYP-04062026-0632 as forensic and witness enquiries continue.