Teenage boy charged with arson after Dunelm fire

A row of single-storey retail park units including NCF Living, Pets at Home and Dunelm. There is smoke coming from the units on the left of the picture and a jet of water is being aimed at the units from a fire service aerial ladder. There are three firefighters, two of them in yellow hi-vis with breathing apparatus, in the foreground.NORTHAMPTONSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE

The fire destroyed units occupied by Dunelm and Pets at Home

Martin Heath
BBC News, Northamptonshire

A teenage boy has been charged with arson five weeks after a serious fire at a retail park.

The 15-year-old from Northampton has been questioned about the blaze which took place at the Nene Valley Retail Park on 31 May.

He appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court on Friday and was released on conditional bail until a court hearing next week.

Two other boys, both 14, remain on conditional bail.

An aerial picture of Northampton, showing houses and industrial units. There is grey smoke issuing from buildings to the left of the picture and heading to the right of the pictrue over the houses.Anthony King

Smoke billowing from the site was seen for miles around

The 15-year-old boy is accused of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.

He cannot be named for legal reasons.

The fire destroyed a Dunelm home furnishings store and a Pets at Home outlet which included a Vets for Pets surgery.

Some staff from the Dunelm shop have temporarily redeployed to nearby stores including those in Kettering and Wellingborough.

Nearby units including B&M, Tapis carpets and Dreams beds remain closed, with Dreams saying it hopes to reopen by the end of the year.

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