Fire at workingmen's club was arson

4:10pm Monday 30th June 2008

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POLICE believe a fire which severely damaged a derelict former workingmen's club was started deliberately.

The blaze, which tore through the former Ushaw Moor workingmen's club, on the village's Station Road, in the early hours last Friday morning, is being treated as arson, investigators confirmed.

Officers who attended the fire, which started at about 1.20am, are conducting door-to-door inquiries, but no arrests have been made.

It is thought the fire was started in a first floor room towards the rear of the club.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 1.22am. Three fire engines were despatched. By 2.48am, firefighters at the club reported all persons had been accounted for. Breathing apparatus was used.

The emergency services remained at the club until 7am.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: "The incident is being treated as arson. We are currently making enquiries in the area.

"The building is very badly damaged. Some rooms are completely burn out."

The two-storey building dates back to 1904 but had been closed for some time. A former picture house, it was due to be demolished to make way for apartments.

A woman living nearby, who asked not to be named, described seeing flames coming out of a first floor window.

"It was about half past one when the fire engines got here. I heard them arriving.

"I was wondering whether we would have to be evacuated. I watched it out of the bedroom window. The flames were coming right out of there."

The resident said she often saw gangs of youths hanging around the rear of the building.

She said: "The kids used to stand around the back drinking. They used to get inside, before they put a fence up."

Castle Homes North East gained planning permission to demolish the club and build 17 apartments, a ground floor hairdresser's shop and car parking from Durham City Council's development control committee last November.

To fulfil planning conditions, the company must begin development by November 2010.

Anyone with information on the fire should call Durham Police on 0845-6060-365 or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800-555111.