SUSPECTED ARSON ATTACK ON CARAVANS IN GLASTONBURY INJURES NONE

A suspected arson attack on a caravan in Glastonbury, Somerset, on Saturday night caused an explosion that spread to three nearby vehicles. Fire crews from Glastonbury, Wells and Street attended the incident. No one was present in the caravans that were destroyed. The fire left charred remains of clothing, books and tin cans among the wreckage.

Glastonbury has housed people living in caravans, motorhomes and converted vehicles for decades, historically with limited friction between residents of vehicles and conventional homes in the town. According to residents interviewed, the situation has shifted due to a sharp increase in the number of people living in vehicles and a general decline in tolerance between groups. The motive for the attack remains unknown. Some residents, including a teacher who has visited Glastonbury for 47 years, described feeling unsafe and stated they intend to leave the area.

Residents living in vehicles cited different reasons for their circumstances. One said he returned to the United Kingdom after working as a carer in Europe following the 2016 Brexit referendum result and has been unable to find permanent housing. Another resident said she experiences vulnerability linked to past trauma and stated that conventional housing options are unavailable to her. A resident described the fire as feeling like a hate crime and said that had wind conditions differed, additional vehicles could have been destroyed and people could have been killed.