Police have arrested and charged three young offenders with arson following a house fire in Essa Saturday night.

Nottawasaga OPP were called about the blaze at the abandoned two-storey farm house at 6542 the 11th Line just before 7 p.m.

Essa fire crews responded as well and were eventually able to put the fire out, but not until it destroyed the home.

Essa Fire Chief  Paul Macdonald said the structure was empty and nobody was injured.

“It was a vacant house,” he said. “The owners had permitted the Essa Fire Department to use it as a training house.”

The fire department had been using the structure to train crews on ladders and hoses.

“It was never intended for live fire training,” Macdonald said.

He said the what little remains of the structure will now have to be demolished.

Names of the accused are being withheld under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.