Perry Aldrich, 28, set light to garden waste in Balmoral Drive, Borehamwood, on August 12, 2022, starting a blaze which spread to a shed and a three-storey block of flats. “Witness accounts meant we were quick to interview and subsequently charge Aldrich, who was living in the block of flats at the time. Families described their shock at the sudden destruction of their homes, forcing them into temporary accommodation. Hertfordshire’s chief fire officer Alex Woodman said: “The occupants of the block of flats were extremely fortunate to escape. “While our fire crews attended the scene promptly, a significant amount of damage was caused by just one individual.