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Temporary Post Office opens in city after fire

Shivani Chaudhari
BBC News, Buckinghamshire
Desmond Kudzanai A fire engine and police van parked outside a post office. There is another white car and black car parked next to them. There are emergency workers standing outside.Desmond Kudzanai
A man from London has been arrested on suspicion of arson

A temporary Post Office has opened after a city centre branch was damaged by a fire.

The Post Office on Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, has been closed since 10 June after liquid was poured on to a counter and set alight.

An interim branch has opened at Milton Keynes City Council's civic offices in Saxon Gate East.

A man, from London, was arrested by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of arson.

Post Office A close up of the Post Office on Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes. It shows one of the ground-length windows has been smashed and a blackened interior. Police tape is wrapped along the front of the building.Post Office
Police said the man made threats to staff before returning with a petrol can, pouring liquid on a counter and setting it alight

Paul Mead, Post Office head of directly managed branches, said: "We are delighted to have restored Post Office services to the centre of Milton Keynes again with the friendly, familiar staff who worked at the previous location."

Lauren Townsend, the Labour deputy leader of Milton Keynes City Council, said: "The space should be available for as long as it takes for the repairs to the Post Office permanent building to be finished."

Thames Valley Police said the man had made threats to staff before returning and starting the fire.

Post Office A close up of the interior of the post office on Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes. It shows a burnt counter, covered in ash and another behind it. Behind that is an array of smoke-blackened greeting cards on a wall.Post Office
The council has said the temporary Post Office will be open for as long as the community needs it

A police spokesperson said the suspect had "a petrol can and poured a liquid onto the counter before igniting it and leaving".

"The Post Office had a number of members of the public in the building at the time, but thankfully, nobody was injured," they added.

Eight fire crews tackled the blaze, which damaged the shop and resulted in smoke logging to stairwells and flats above, according to Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service.

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