PALMA
THE mystery pyromaniac of the Balearic capital has struck again - twice. .
The first incident yesterday involved a rubbish skip which was set alight in Palma's Son Roca district. The second, however, spread panic amongst an unsuspecting public when two cars and a motorbike were set on fire in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Emergency services had their work cut out for them when at 2.15am, Palma's fire station received several calls alerting them to a fire in a rubbish container in Son Roca. The incident bore the personal hallmark of a pyromaniac who for several months has been playing a cat and mouse game with local authorities. Then about two-and-a-half hours later at 4.40am, residents in Ricardo General Ortega street in Palma raised the alarm about a major fire which had dangerously engulfed a number of vehicles in the middle of the road. Both Local and National Police who attended the scene said that it was yet another case of arson. It had seemingly been started on the motorcycle and spread to the two cars. Flames were reaching up as high as the first balcony, said one neighbour. We were afraid that people may be hurt if the cars exploded. Residents had reportedly been woken by the sound of a car horn blowing loudly which, when onlookers came out onto their balconies, appeared to mount the pavement without any driver at the wheel.
Sources close to the investigation said that the incidents were the work of a dangerous group of pyromaniacs operating in Palma for several months.