Major fire at former working men’s club in Blurton was arson
FIREFIGHTERS spent close to four hours battling a major blaze after an arson attack at a former working men’s club last night.
Residents living near to the building, situated close to the Newstead Industrial Estate in Blurton, were told to close their windows after asbestos fears were raised.
A Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said crews from Longton, Hanley and Newcastle were called to the building at 8.37pm.
Further assistance was required and more crews, a water carrier and an aerial ladder were also called.
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The fire was finally brought under control shortly after midnight, though crews remained on scene into the early hours of the morning.
Station Manager Rob Barber said: "The building was well alight when we arrived on scene and took around three and a half hours to extinguish.
"We then had two appliances remain on scene overnight monitoring hotspots and continuing to damp down so that a fire investigation could take place this morning.
"We have carried out our investigations and have gathered enough evidence to support a conclusion that this fire was started deliberately.
"We will do everything in our power to help Staffordshire Police bring those responsible to justice – arson is a serious crime, it endangers many lives and ties up emergency services for hours."
Did you see the fire in Blurton last night? Send your thoughts and pictures to chris.hogg@northcliffedigital.co.uk, upload them straight to www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk or tweet us on @thisisstaffs.
Comments
by Alberus
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 12:25PM
“Workingmen's clubs...the last bastion of the beleagured blokes of toil. Now an anachronism, finished, a reminder of the good old days of full employment and a life of simple, innocent pleasures. They've been eclipsed well and truly by supermarket booze, cable TV, gastropubs, WII, foreign holidays, computers, smart phones and kindles. A thoroughly old fashioned and moribund concept. How fitting that they should be routinely and joyously torched by the scumbag offspring of some of the people who patronised them. Keep it up kiddies!”
by bigmouth666
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 10:41AM
“Arson, knowing the area of old, would not surprise me one bit.”
by calcott1985
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 10:09AM
“Yes workingmens club!!! I grew up on Newstead and I work, my mum worked and my Dad worked. It's such a shame that the club has been destroyed like this. I have so many good memories from the club and so do many other people. It's also a shame that there are so many pigheaded people like yourself that have to sit behind their computers and make sarcastic remarks”
by E_D_Wivens
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 7:43PM
“Arson, eh? Well, there's a surprise.”
by stevenweiss
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 7:32PM
“That will make building houses on it easier and cheaper!”
by HAGGI5
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 7:05PM
“Demolition, the Stoke on Trent way!”
by THETROJON
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 12:27PM
“WORKINGMENS CLUB ???? no one works in the area no wonder it closed”