A 15-YEAR-OLD boy was bailed pending further enquiries after being arrested on suspicion of arson at a Cwmbran warehouse.

The Argus reported yesterday how around 40 firefighters tackled the blaze at the former Complete Homes furniture clearance warehouse on the Avondale Industrial Estate on Wednesday evening.

Fire crews revisited the scene yesterday to dampen down hotspots but had to put its investigation on hold because of the condition of the building.

Smoke could still be smelt in the air yesterday and there was visible damage to the building including smashed windows.

Residents spoke of how they saw plumes of black smoke from the building which was also previously known as Autopia.

Neighbour Eileen Jones said: “The smoke was horrendous. I couldn’t see anything, it was completely black.

“All I could see was the smoke and nothing else, it was very bad.”

Ms Jones said she was alerted to the fire when a neighbour rang her to tell her to close her windows.

Paul Baker, 65, of Moseley Terrace, said: “When I came out I thought a storm was brewing. It was like night had fallen.”

Neighbours said the building had been vacant for at least two years and said there had been problems with rats and children entering the site.

Elaine Newman, 50, described the building as an “eyesore”.

Five rabbits were rescued from the Scope Skills Development Centre which was next door to the burning building.

Sophie Coia, a support worker at the centre, went back to rescue the rabbits from the centre’s garden when she heard the building was on fire.