Arsonist sentenced following £750,000 trailer fire

Four other men, who were all teenagers at the time, were arrested but had no further action taken against them in relation to the fire

A teenager has been given a community order after a fire he started caused more than £750,000-worth of damage.

Kian Setchfield, now 19, committed arson at Hotpoint on Celta Road, Fletton, Peterborough, almost five years ago when he was 15.

Emergency services were called to the blaze, which damaged 48 trailers, on 29 August 2019 at 19:00 BST.

Cambridgeshire Police said it had been an "incredibly long and complex" investigation, and said it hoped Setchfield had learnt "from his mistakes".

Whirlpool, which owns the Hotpoint brand, has its UK headquarters at the Peterborough site

Eight fire crews and 55 firefighters tackled the blaze at its height, with crews from Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk involved.

Witnesses reported hearing explosions and Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service said it received almost 200 calls from the public.

Group Commander Karl Bowden told the BBC the loud bangs were tyres on the trailers "popping off the rims" in the searing heat.

The blaze caused £754,871-worth of damage to trailers and goods

Setchfield, of Hoylake Drive, Farcet, near Peterborough, admitted offences relating to the fire and was sentenced to an 18-month community order at Cambridge Crown Court on July 26.

He was also ordered to complete a rehabilitation activity requirement and a thinking skills programme.

Det Sgt Louis Scott said: "This was an incredibly long and complex investigation which has eventually seen a conviction for a crime that had a significant impact on a business.

"The actions of Setchfield were extremely careless, and I hope the last few years have given him chance to reflect and learn from his mistakes."