Pair charged with arson over £2m fire at Whirlpool's Peterborough HQ

Three people have been charged with arson over two fires, including one that destroyed 48 trailers at the headquarters of domestic appliance manufacturer Whirlpool.

Explosions were heard across Peterborough as fire engulfed the lorry trailers on 29 August 2019.

Damage was estimated at about £2m.

Two people have been charged in relation to that fire, and one of them and another man are also charged in relation to an incident the day before.

Black smoke could be seen for miles around the Shrewsbury Avenue site in the city after the fire broke out at about 19:00 BST.

Eight crews and 55 firefighters tackled the blaze at its height.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said at the time the lorry trailers had been full of parts for washing machines and fridges.

No-one was injured in the blaze and none of the company's buildings were affected.

Cambridgeshire Police has now said three people have been charged "in connection with a large-scale arson in Peterborough two years ago".

A 21-year-old man from the city and a 17-year-old boy have been charged with arson causing damage worth £754,871 to HGV trailers and their contents, as well as criminal damage to white goods belonging to Hotpoint.

The 17-year-old has also been charged with further offences alongside another 21-year-old man, in connection with an incident at a building site in the Hampton area of the city on 28 August 2019.

Both have been charged with arson causing damage totalling £20,000, burglary and criminal damage.

All three are expected to appear before magistrates on 12 November.

Police said four other men arrested during the investigation would face no further action.

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

About 1,000 of Whirlpool's 2,500 UK workforce are based there.

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