18-year-old woman charged with setting massive Haverhill mill fire

Haverhill Police arrested an 18-year-old woman Wednesday and charged her with setting a huge fire at an abandoned mill.

The mill on Stevens Street went up in flames just before 3 a.m. Tuesday. Haverhill Fire Chief Chris Cesati said there were heavy flames on all four floors when they arrived.

No one was hurt. Firefighters from several towns came in to help and most of the fire was out by sunrise, but it continued to smolder for several hours.

"As a result of the ongoing investigation, authorities have arrested Isabella Sargent, 18-year-old Haverhill resident, in connection with the incident. She has been charged with arson of a structure and conspiracy to commit arson," Haverhill Police said in a statement.

She will be arraigned in Haverhill District Court Wednesday.

"This remains an active investigation. Investigators are working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the fire, including whether additional individuals may be involved," police said.

Four teenagers were charged with starting a fire at the same mill back in September 2015. The mill was built in 1884 and had been used to manufacture cotton and textiles, but it's been abandoned for years.

The fire chief said years of chemical use in the mill and the heavy timber causes it to burn "for a long time."

Haverhill, Massachusetts is 37 miles north of Boston.