Alleged arsonist appears before court after fire threatens homes in Bilingurr

A 44-year-old Broome man, Halim Neil Hadji Mohd Noor, has appeared before court after being charged in relation to a fire that threatened homes in Bilingurr on Friday morning. At 7.55am last Friday morning, it is alleged Mr Hadji Mohd Noor, while on foot on Gubinge Road, deliberately lit three fires and after being sighted by police allegedly attempted to flee the area but was apprehended. He has been charged with wilfully light or cause to be lit a fire likely to injure or damage. Appearing via video link at Broome Magistrate’s Court on September 13, Mr Hadji Mohd Noor was refused bail and remanded in custody until his next court date on October 14. Emergency services closed down multiple intersections and roads along Broome Highway as the fire raged, extending along both sides of Broome Highway and turning the nature strip between the highway and homes in Bilingurr into a wall of smoke. But the fire was brought under control with firefighters still putting out spot fires and patrolling the area alongside police at 11.30am. Intersections along Broome Highway have now been reopened to traffic.