DETECTIVES were today hunting arsonists responsible for a massive York warehouse fire that caused up to £150,000-worth of damage.

Firefighters believe the devastating blaze at an industrial unit in Landing Lane, Haxby, was started deliberately.

Several neighbouring families were forced to spend Saturday night in emergency accommodation because of fears that gas canisters and diesel tanks could explode.

Some residents spent almost 24 hours without electricity after engineers were forced to cut cables at the scene to safely stop the supply.

Police are now hunting for witnesses who may have seen those responsible for the fire.

Three teenagers arrested near the scene have been questioned and released on bail.

Owner Kevin Keaveny, 44, who stored trench digging equipment and other machinery in the building, said he had lost almost everything in the fire. He said: "The whole place and everything in it has been completely destroyed.

"There was absolutely nothing we could do to save it.

He said that the cost of replacing the vehicles and machinery, as well as the building, could be as much as £150,000.

Haxby resident Alec Robinson, who saw the blaze, said the flames reached as high as mature trees that border the site, while thick black smoke could be seen for scveral miles.

As the drama unfolded on Saturday afternoon at 4pm, police officers evacuated two families to council housing at Marjorie Waite Court, in Clifton, while other residents spent the night with friends.

Firefighters were forced to retreat when they realised that the building contained acetylene canisters, gas bottles and diesel barrels.

They spent more than 11 hours containing the blaze and used a turntable ladder to douse it from above. Electricity engineers returned to the site yesterday to reconnect the power supply. Mr Keaveny said he has had six attempted break-ins at the building in recent weeks and that youths set fire to a nearby hedge on October 1.

Station Officer Mal Austwick, of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed that officers believed that fire was also started deliberately.

Mr Keaveny employs up to 60 casual labourers at a time for his land drainage business. He said he has several other machines stored elsewhere.

PC Phil Arnold, who was one of the first people on the scene, said the smoke could be seen from across the village and that police are treating the incident "extremely seriously". He said investigators want to speak to anyone who saw a group of young people acting suspiciously in the bridleway area from noon onwards.

Anyone who can help York Police should phone 0845 60 60 24 7 and ask for PC Arnold or Detective Constable Pete Bentall.

Updated: 10:10 Monday, November 01, 2004