Crime
A 17- and 18-year-old are suspected of setting a fire that caused so much damage to the mill that it is slated to be demolished, police say.
Two teens allegedly set a fire to a mill at 14 Stevens St. Haverhill Fire Department
Two teenagers were arrested following a multi-alarm fire at an abandoned Haverhill mill building Tuesday, authorities said.
Emergency personnel responded around 2:45 a.m. to a fire at a mill at 14 Stevens St., according to a statement released Wednesday from the Haverhill Police Department.
Upon arrival, crews were met with “heavy fire conditions,” the Haverhill Fire Department said in a statement.
No injuries were reported, though crews worked for hours to bring the multi-alarm fire under control and to protect nearby structures, authorities said.
Authorities arrested 18-year-old Isabella Sargent, of Haverhill, who was subsequently charged with arson of a structure and conspiracy to commit arson, according to the police statement.
Police later arrested a 17-year-old juvenile from Haverhill who they believe also played a role in the arson, according to a Thursday statement from the Haverhill Police Department.
Authorities said they are withholding further identifying details about the suspect because of their age. Police also did not disclose what charges have been filed for the 17-year-old.
Sargent was arraigned in Haverhill District Court Wednesday and was released with a GPS tracking bracelet, according to the Boston Globe. She was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.
Sargent is expected to appear in court for a probable cause hearing May 26, according to court records.
Police said the investigation is active and are continuing to examine whether others were involved in starting the fire.
Haverhill city officials announced in a statement that the mill will be completely demolished because of the extensive damage caused by the fire.
“Due to the intensity of the fire, the resulting heat severely compromised the structural steel supporting the four-story building,” the statement reads.
Until the building is torn down and the area is confirmed safe for public access, Stevens Street will remain closed, city officials said.
This is not the mill’s first fire, as four teenagers were charged with arson in 2015 after setting fire to the structure, according to the Boston Globe.
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