A man is due to appear in court today charged with arson following a fire that devastated a block of flats in Heybridge.
Daniel Hilton, 29, of Wood Road, Heybridge, goes before Chelmsford Magistrates' Court accused of starting the blaze in his Wood Road flat on Sunday night.
He is also alleged to have assaulted Lucy Cavanagh, who lives in the property with him, and damaging her Vauxhall Vectra on the same date.
Two people needed treatment for smoke inhalation following the blaze, that took four fire crews took more than an hour and a half to extinguish.
Hilton is expected to be given a date to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court to enter a plea.
