5 youths, aged 12-15, arrested for Hargrave apartment fire

Two boys and three girls have been arrestedin connection to the massive fire that destroyed a vacant downtown apartment building this week.

Two13-year-old boys and three girls aged12,14and 15 are facing a number of charges for deliberately setting the blaze, including arson and break and enter.

The 105-year-old brick building known asKenilworth Court, at 44HargraveStreet,went up in flames on Monday evening.

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Flames and large plumes of black smoke shot up into the sky and could be seen from kilometres away.

No one was hurt in the blaze, which tooknearly 45 firefighterstwo hours to put out and caused an estimated $1 million in damage.Neighbouring apartment buildings were evacuated and power was shut off for some450 customers due to safety concerns.

KenilworthCourt was reduced to rubble the next day by demolition crews.

Neighbours told CBC News the building, vacant since 2007,hadin recent yearsbecome a place where people would break in and hang out, including on Monday.