Guildford house fires: Cane Frank Newman charged with destroying property by fire

The man allegedly responsible for three fires including two infernos which engulfed abandoned houses in Sydney’s west has fronted court.

A man has pleaded not guilty after being charged following fires that destroyed two abandoned houses at Guildford on Thursday.

Cane Frank Newman, of Guildford Rd, Guildford, was arrested after firefighters doused the blazes, starting with a at Kane St house at 7pm.

Fire and Rescue NSW crews attended and extinguished the blaze but the house was destroyed.

Three hours later, emergency services responded to reports of a fire at a Guildford Rd house, which court documents list as the property of Han Yu Holdings.

Fire and Rescue NSW again attended and extinguished the blaze, but that house was also significantly damaged.

Fires engulfs a house at Guildford Rd on Thursday night.

Neither house was occupied and there were no reports of injuries.

Following inquiries, Cumberland police arrested Mr Newman, 28, nearby and took him to Granville police station where he was charged with three counts of destroy property by fire.

Police allege the Thursday fires were linked with a blaze at the same house on Kane St on Wednesday, when a mattress was set alight and only minor damage sustained.

Mr Newman was refused bail to appear in Fairfield Court on Friday, when magistrate Stuart Devine rejected an application for him to be released.

Mr Newman was remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned to April 8.

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