A 12-year-old girl was arrested today as police continue to investigate a huge fire that ripped through a former Debenhams store in Canterbury.
It is the third arrest made by Kent Police after the derelict department store became engulfed in flames on Monday evening.
At the height of the incident, eight fire engines, two ladder vehicles and around 50 firefighters battled to bring the blaze under control.
Roads were closed and some residents of nearby properties were evacuated while the fire was extinguished.
Police said the girl was arrested on Wednesday evening and has now been bailed pending further enquiries.
It follows the arrests of two teenage boys in connection with the incident.
The first arrest made on Tuesday was a 15-year-old boy. Kent Police said today that he has also been released on bail while enquiries continue.
A 15-year-old from Ashford who was arrested on Wednesday was later released without charge.
It is the third arrest made by Kent Police after the derelict department store became engulfed in flames on Monday evening
Roads were closed and some residents of nearby properties were evacuated while the fire was extinguished
Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses or anyone with information to get in touch and have thanked those who have already come forward.
All Debenhams stores closed for good in 2021, marking the end of a 242-year presence in Britain’s towns and cities.
It collapsed at the end of 2020, with the closure of all its stores confirmed after Boohoo agreed to only buy its website and brand in a £55million rescue deal.
It tumbled over in the same week as Topshop owner Arcadia, with the two failures putting around 23,000 people out of work.
Firefighters respond to the massive inferno in Canterbury on Monday
The incident led to a significant response from the emergency services
The job losses were on a par with the collapse of Woolworths in 2008, which hit 25,000 people.
The closure of the two mega-brands also left a gaping hole in the heart of towns up and down the country, where high streets are already in decline.
Although the pandemic sealed its fate, the department store’s woes had built up over decades as it failed to keep up with changing trends and locked itself into long, expensive leases.
Anyone who can assist enquiries is urged to contact Kent Police on 01843 222289 quoting reference 03-0160
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