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FILE PICTURE – Aerial view of the Devonport Flats in Plymouth that were damaged by fire caused by a 14-year-old. A child arsonist destroyed a block of flats by copying a school science lesson – when he built a home-made BUNSEN BURNER. See SWNS story SWBUNSEN. The 14-year-old admitted starting the inferno from his bedroom which caused up to Ã3million of damage and left 100 residents homeless. He said he did so by filling up an almost-empty can of Monster energy drink with hairspray and igniting the fumes with a lighter to create a “constant flame, an inch high”. After leaving it burn for five seconds, he put it on his bedside table, convinced he had blown it out, before opening a window and spraying air freshener to hide the smell. He then went downstairs to the living room – but half an hour later, the smoke alarm went off and his mother discovered thick smoke pouring out of his bedroom. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, spoke quietly as he sat beside his mother to admit one charge of arson with intent to endanger life.