Arson probe after fire destroys toilets at Poole Park

A fire broke out in the afternoon in the men’s toilets at Ark Café in Poole.

The blaze is believed to have been started by a toilet roll holder being set on fire.

Visitors at the café were swiftly evacuated after seeing the café filled with ‘black smoke’.

Breastfeeding mothers and children were among those evacuated from the café and soft play area.

An ambulance crew also attended to check over a woman who had fallen over with her newborn.

A spokesperson for DWFRS said: “We were called to Poole Park Road, Poole at 1.58pm on Thursday (29 February) to deal with a fire in the toilets of a café.

“Three crews attended, two from Poole and one from Westbourne, and four breathing apparatus wearers used two hose reel jets to extinguish the fire.

“A ventilation fan was used to clear the smoke and our stop was at 2.55pm.

“The police were informed as we believe the fire to have been started deliberately.”

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: “The incident is reported to have occurred between 1.45pm and 2pm on Thursday 29 February 2024.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the cause of the fire.

“No arrests have been made.”

Nick Davis, owner of the Ark Café and director of South Coast Caterers was shocked at the damage.

He said: “We weren't sure where the fire was, so we immediately evacuated the soft play area and the cafe, but by then the whole place was full of black smoke and the whole of the toilets went up in flames.

“We had women with babies, women breastfeeding so having to leave was a full-on emergency.

“Officers haven’t even come to the café to do an investigation yet.

“We want the police to come in and investigate the crime of arson, which is a serious offence.

“There is thousands of pounds worth of damage in the men's public toilets which needs completely gutting.”

The café has since been reopened but the men’s toilets remain closed.