Two more arrests made following Dovestone moor fire

A 19-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of arson yesterday (Thursday, July 16) and has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Then today (July 17), a 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the same charges and remains in custody for questioning.

This follows the arrest of 20-year-old Shania Care-Slede earlier this week.

She has been charged with aggravated arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and dangerous driving, and is due to appear at Manchester Crown Court on August 18.

Detective Inspector Andrew Day of Oldham division has said that the investigation into the “devastating” fire has been “progressing at pace”.

He said: “I mentioned in my last update that we are aware of the social media posts circulating regarding this incident. It is a live police investigation, and I would like to stress the point again: stop sharing and speculating regarding this, and if you do have information, please report it to us.

“As this incident continues, officers would like to thank all emergency service partners for their support and dedication. In particular, our colleagues at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, whose firefighters have spent countless hours tackling the fire in demanding conditions.

“I would like to thank the local community in Oldham and the whole of Greater Manchester for their assistance with this investigation, we have received numerous submissions which helped and the portal is still open for submissions.”

Crews are still working to tackle the moor fire, which broke out on Saturday, sending large plumes of smoke across Greater Manchester.

Road closures remain in place Holmfirth Road and Bank Lane, with access to Dovestone Reservoir blocked off.

Footpaths in Saddleworth have also been closed for three weeks, according to a recent update from Oldham Council.

Members of the public are advised to avoid the area while the emergency service continue work to make the area safe.

Anyone with evidence or footage that could help the investigation can submit it via the Dovestone Fire Evidence Submission Portal on the GMP website.