A TEN-year-old boy was rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital after an arson attack in an empty pub in the Midlands.
The youngster found himself trapped and choking from the effects of smoke after rooms at the former Fish public house in Bank Street, Brierley Hill, were deliberately set alight.
Firefighters alerted by passers-by pitched a ladder to pluck him to safety.
He was given oxygen and taken by ambulance to nearby Russells Hall Hospital for checks.
Scenes of crime officers were today continuing investigations into the incident, which led to a warning to youngsters from a fire chief not to risk their lives playing in derelict buildings.
Acting Watch Commander Richard Andrews of Brierley Hill fire station said fires had been started in two rooms downstairs and one upstairs and the incident was being treated as arson.
