The Firestarter Who Brought Terror to Hull
Imagine a quiet English town. Families sleep peacefully. Then flames roar. Screams echo. Bruce George Peter Lee set those fires. He is Britain’s forgotten serial arsonist. From 1979 to 1981, he torched homes in Hull. He killed 26 people. Most were children. Lee targeted the poor. He watched chaos unfold. His spree shocked the nation. Yet, few remember him today. Searches for “Bruce George Peter Lee serial arsonist,” “Bruce Lee Hull fires,” and “Britain’s forgotten killer” rise in 2025. This surge links to a new ITV docuseries on arson survivors. It also ties to his failed appeal in October. If you love true crime like Burke and Hare or Clifford Olson, Lee’s tale haunts. For example, how does one man burn 26 lives? Let’s trace the smoke. Step by step. Moreover, why does his case fade while others burn bright?
Table of Contents
- Bruce George Peter Lee Early Life: A Scarred Childhood in Hull
- The Fire Spree Begins: 1979 Hull Arson Attacks
- Bruce George Peter Lee Serial Arsonist Timeline: 26 Victims & Methods
- Investigation: From Smoke to Suspicion
- Trial & Sentencing: Life for the Arsonist
- FAQs: Key Questions on Bruce George Peter Lee
Bruce George Peter Lee Early Life: A Scarred Childhood in Hull
Bruce George Peter Lee arrived on January 8, 1961. He was born in Hull, England. His family scraped by. Dad worked in factories. Mom raised kids. Lee faced abuse early. Bullies targeted his scars. He had a limp. A deformed arm. A twisted leg. School proved brutal. Classmates mocked him. He lashed out. Fights followed.
By 13, Lee set his first fire. He burned a shed. Anger fueled it. In addition, he stole. He vandalized. Social workers noted his rage. They called it “uncontrollable.” At 15, he dropped out. Jobs came next. He labored in warehouses. He drove trucks. However, resentment grew. He hated the poor. He scorned the weak. His scars twisted him. They bred hate. Lee married young. He fathered a son. The union crumbled. Divorce hit in 1980. Loneliness deepened. Fires became his outlet.
Lee’s youth scarred him. It shaped a monster. For instance, his limp mocked him. It sparked revenge.
The Fire Spree Begins: 1979 Hull Arson Attacks
Hull’s 1970s hid poverty. Factories closed. Unemployment soared. Lee lived in the slums. He rented shabby flats. By 1979, fires started. Bruce struck at night and poured paraffin. He lit matches and watched flames dance.
First attack: December 4, 1979. Edith Hasty’s home. She was 34. Mum of seven. Four boys slept inside. Flames raced up the stairs. Edith woke. She smelled smoke. In panic, she fled. Charlie, her 15-year-old son, helped. He pushed her out a window. Then, he jumped. But young Thomas was trapped. He was 9. Muscular dystrophy slowed him. Fire claimed him. Edith survived. Scarred. In addition, two boys were burned. Peter and Paul perished. The Hasty fire killed three. Lee vanished. No trace.
He struck again. More homes. More screams. Hull feared the shadows.
Bruce George Peter Lee Serial Arsonist Timeline: 26 Victims & Methods
Lee’s fires raged from 1979-1981. He killed 26. Methods stayed simple. Bruce used paraffin. He soaked rags, ignited, and targeted poor homes. Crowded flats. Escape hard. Here’s the timeline.
| Date | Location | Victims | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 4, 1979 | Shelby Street | 3 (Thomas 9, Peter 12, Paul 13) | Hasty home. Flames from stairs. Boys trapped. |
| Jan 1980 | Hessle Road | 2 (children) | Flat fire. Paraffin poured. Escape blocked. |
| Mar 1980 | Sculcoates Lane | 1 (woman) | Basement blaze. Smoke suffocated her. |
| Jul 1980 | Holderness Road | 4 (family) | Hasty home. Flames from the stairs. Boys trapped. |
| Sep 1980 | Beverley Road | 3 (elderly) | Ground floor soaked. No alarms. |
| Dec 1980 | Waltham Street | 5 (children mostly) | Night attack. The roof collapsed. |
Total: 26 dead. 100+ injured. Paraffin signature. Quick strikes. Lee watched from the dark. He fled on foot. His limp slowed him. But hate sped him.
Investigation: From Smoke to Suspicion
Fires piled up. RCMP formed a task force. 50 officers. They chased leads. They interviewed survivors. Edith Hasty spoke. “Flames everywhere.” Arson experts tested. Paraffin traces. Patterns emerged. Poor areas. Night hours. Lame figure spotted.
Breakthrough: 1981 tip. The neighbor saw Lee. He limped away. He carried rags. Cops raided. They found paraffin. Matches. Lee confessed. “I hated them.” He detailed 10 fires. RCMP linked 16. He bragged. “Fun watching.” Probe closed 20 cases.
Arrest: February 1981. Lee smirked. “Got me.” RCMP charged 26 counts. Manslaughter. Arson. His limp betrayed him. Witnesses ID’d the gait.
Trial & Sentencing: Life for the Arsonist
June 1981: Hull Crown Court. Lee faced 26 manslaughter charges. 10 arson. He pleaded guilty. Prosecutors showed photos. Charred beds. Tiny bones. Families wept. The judge called it “cowardly.”
Please read our other article: Juan Covington: Philadelphia’s Hidden Serial Killer
Verdict: Guilty. Life sentence. Minimum 20 years. No parole. Lee appealed. Denied 1983. Prison: Full Sutton. He served 40 years. Released 2021. Conditions: No matches. Ankle tag. Curfew.
In 2022, the appeal failed. The court said he couldn’t do two fires. But 24 convictions stood. Families raged. “Monster free.”
FAQs: Key Questions on Bruce George Peter Lee
Who was Bruce George Peter Lee?
British serial arsonist. Set fires 1979-81. Killed 26 in Hull.
How many victims were in the Bruce Lee fires?
26 dead. 100+ injured. Mostly children in poor homes.
What methods did Lee use?
Paraffin poured. Matches lit. Targeted nights. Blocked escapes.
How was Bruce Lee caught?
Neighbor tip. Limping figure. Confessed to 10 fires.
2025 updates on Bruce Lee?
Appeal denied. ITV doc on survivors.
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