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Maidstone town centre shops fire 'linked to car fires' Maidstone man held after fires damage shops and cars
(about 5 hours later)
A "suspicious" fire that damaged four shops in the centre of Maidstone in the early hours may be linked to five earlier car fires, Kent Police said. A man has been arrested after several fires in Maidstone town centre damaged four shops and five cars.
The fire broke out in The Works bookshop in Week Street at about 02:00 BST, hitting all three floors. Kent fire crews were first called to the vehicle fires in the Buckland Road and Somerfield Road areas at 01:15 BST.
At the height of the fire 15 fire engines were at the scene. There were no reported casualties. Within an hour, 15 fire engines were also sent to The Works bookshop in Week Street, where three floors were alight.
The fire came after five cars were set alight in the Buckland Road and Somerfield Road areas of Maidstone. A 22-year-old from the town is being questioned over the fires which led to a number of residents being evacuated from their homes.
Kent Police say they are treating the cause of the fires as suspicious, and inquiries are ongoing. There were no reported casualties.
The car fires were reported at just after 01:15 BST, Kent Police said. Kent Police said they were treating the cause of the fires as suspicious and were were not ruling out them being linked.
A spokesman for force said: "We are not ruling out that they're linked." Week Street remains closed and fire crews are expected to remain at the scene for several days.
Flats behind the shops were evacuated and Week Street remains closed.
The fire service said fire crews were expected to remain at the scene for several days.