Four teenagers charged with arson in Vejle warehouse fire

Four teenagers have been charged with deliberately setting a large fire that destroyed a former cold storage facility in Vejle on Friday evening, South East Jutland Police confirmed.

Vice police inspector Brian Skovrup Christensen said the four—two aged 16 and two aged 17—were arrested following an intensive investigation launched after the blaze was reported. All face charges of intentional arson.

The fire broke out in an abandoned industrial building on Ellehammervej, prompting authorities to urge nearby residents to stay indoors as thick black smoke spread. Vejle’s emergency director Thomas Dietz described the incident as a “major fire,” noting the structure’s foam insulation posed potential health risks from the smoke.

At its peak, the response involved 60 firefighters from seven stations, with crews from neighboring cities called in to assist. Key roads, including Horsensvej and Viborgvej, were closed during the operation. Firefighters remained on site Saturday to extinguish lingering hotspots.

Christensen said the investigation would continue, with further forensic work planned at the heavily damaged site. “This is a large-scale case that will take time,” he stated.