Firefighters were called to the former Wolverhampton College campus on Paget Road at around 4.20pm on Sunday, July 19, after flames ripped through the ground floor of the vacant building. The last crew left the scene six hours later, at 10.20pm, after extinguishing the blaze and dampening down hotspots.
Fire service confirms deliberate ignition
A West Midlands Fire Service spokesperson said: "Shortly before 4.20pm on Sunday 19 July, we responded to Paget Road, Wolverhampton. Five fire engines and two 4x4 brigade response vehicles from Haden Cross, Smethwick, West Bromwich, Oldbury, Fallings Park and Aston attended. Two fire engines from Codsall and Kinver stations, part of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, also attended."
The fire was confined to the ground floor of the three-storey building, which had been vacant since October last year. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire, which is believed to have been started deliberately.
Road closure and return visit
Paget Road was closed for a time but reopened as crews began scaling down resources between 7.30pm and 8.30pm. After all crews had left by 10.20pm, the fire service revisited the site at 1.10am on Monday, July 20, to conduct thorough checks. They identified no further hotspots.
West Midlands Police has been approached for comment. The incident remains under investigation, and anyone with information is urged to contact police.
