Eight arrested over Motat fire

Police have arrested eight teenagers for an arson attack that destroyed irreplaceable artefacts at Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology (Motat).

The blaze, which began about 10.20pm last Friday destroyed a 121-year-old train carriage.

Avondale police Detective Sergeant Geoff Baber said seven of the youths were aged 16 years old and the other is 15 years old.

The fire completely destroyed one half of the carriage and burnt out the other half leaving only the metal shell intact.

The arrests came from investigations by police and fire safety officers and valuable information provided by members of the public who live near the scene of the fire, he said.

The youths have been bailed to appear in the Auckland Youth Court on March 6.

- NZPA