A DUNMOW woman has been charged with arson following a blaze at a flat in the town.

The fire broke out at the home in Fitzwalter Place, off Chelmsford Road, shortly before 6pm on Saturday (October 20).

The fire broke out in a home at Fitzwalter Place, off Chelmsford Road, just before 6pm on Saturday.

Crews from Dunmow, Thaxted and Stansted tackled the blaze in a first floor flat of the three-storey building. It took around an hour to extinguish the flames.

Speaking today (Monday October 22), a spokesman for Essex Police said: “A woman is due to appear in court today after having been charged with arson following a flat fire in Dunmow.

“Police had been contacted by the fire and rescue service shortly after 6pm on Saturday, October 20, following a report that a flat on Chelmsford Road was alight.

“Officers arrived and carried out a search of the local area for the known occupier of the property while fire fighters tackled the blaze.

“The female resident was found at a nearby supermarket a short time later safe and well.

“After the fire had been extinguished it was established no one had been in the flat.

“Maria Coleman was arrested on Saturday evening and subsequently charged with one count of causing arson with intent as to whether life was endangered.

“The 41-year-old unemployed woman from Chelmsford Road in Dunmow was detained in police custody prior to appearing at Chelmsford.”