A woman has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following a major fire at a block of flats in Weymouth in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Emergency services were called to Keel House on Dorchester Road shortly before 1am after a fire broke out in a top-floor flat. The blaze quickly developed and spread into the roof space, prompting a major response from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Seven fire engines attended the incident, with around 30 firefighters involved at the height of the operation. The entire building was evacuated, with residents from all 32 flats forced to leave their homes.
Firefighters initially tackled the blaze from inside the building but were forced to withdraw when the roof became unstable. A second aerial ladder was brought in to allow crews to continue fighting the fire from outside.
Despite the scale of the incident, there were no reports of anyone being injured.
Dorset Police confirmed that a woman had been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. She remained in police custody while detectives from Dorset County CID investigated the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Police are continuing to work closely with Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service as enquiries continue into how the fire started.
The incident has left dozens of residents temporarily displaced.
Aster Group, which manages Keel House, said it was working with emergency services to assess the condition of the building and determine when residents could safely return.
The housing provider said: “We’re working closely with the emergency services to understand the condition of the buildings and when it may be safe for some customers to return home.”
For residents unable to return, Aster said it was working with Dorset Council and other partners to arrange temporary accommodation.
Dorset Council established a rest centre on Sunday to support those affected. The council said it had already helped 22 residents with immediate accommodation needs.
Councillor Matt Bell, Dorset Council’s cabinet member for public health, prevention and communities, said temporary accommodation was being arranged for residents unable to return home, with transport and meals also being provided where required.
The priority now is to establish the cause of the fire and assess the safety of the building.
With all 32 flats affected and the roof suffering significant damage, residents face an uncertain wait before they can establish when, or whether, they will be able to return home.
The police investigation remains ongoing.
