Police are appealing for witnesses following a suspicious fire in the Ladywell area of Livingston which happened around 5am on Sunday morning in Burnbank.
Two wheelie bins, which were against the wall of a property, were deliberately set alight.
This caused damage to a gas main, which led the surrounding premises to be evacuated as a precaution.
Officers are now urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.
Detective Constable Lee McCall of Livingston CID said:
“Thankfully no one was injured as a result of the fire as the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service were able to quickly bring this, and the resultant gas leak, under control.
“However, the consequences of this act could have been far worse and we are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry to trace those responsible.
“We are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the Burnbank area during the early hours of Sunday morning or, similarly, anyone with information that can help us identify the culprits.”
Those with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 or report this anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
