The Metropolitan Police have announced that the recent fire at an empty pub in Dagenham, which destroyed its roof, is not being treated as suspicious.
The fire broke out at the Ship & Anchor pub located on Wood Lane in the early hours of March 20. Initial reports of the blaze came in at 12:52 am, and firefighters from the London Fire Brigade were able to extinguish the flames by 3:13 am.
The pub, believed to have been derelict for over a decade, suffered extensive damage, with the cause of the fire still shrouded in mystery.
A decade prior, the Ship & Anchor was the target of a suspected arson attack in 2010, further adding to concerns about the recent fire’s origins.
However, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police has stated that they are not treating the cause of the latest fire as suspicious. Despite this determination, the police have taken over the investigation from the London Fire Brigade and are continuing their inquiries into the incident.
The decision not to consider the fire suspicious provides some clarity to residents and local authorities in Dagenham, albeit leaving unanswered questions regarding the cause of the blaze.
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