Police probe 1am blaze as public told 'avoid the area'
One man was treated by paramedics
News
By
Dave Knapper
Firefighters were called to the scene (stock image) (Image: Matt Simpson/StokeonTrentLive)
An investigation is underway into the cause of an early morning blaze - which saw fire crews tell the public to 'avoid the area'. Police, paramedics and fire crews were called out to the trouble-plagued former Jobcentre on
Stafford's Greyfriars Place just after 1am this morning.
The fire service say 'several appliances' were scrambled to the scene while during the height of the incident a tweet was sent out urging families to stay away from the area. And paramedics were required to check over a man in his 30s.
The stretch was fully back open this morning where a police investigation is now underway. A spokeswoman for
Staffordshire Police said: "We attended the scene with colleagues from
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and
West Midlands Ambulance Service.
"Fire crews extinguished a small fire within the property. A man, in his 30s, was checked over by paramedics.
"We worked with fire crews to secure the property and left the scene a short time later. Inquiries are continuing."
The blaze marks yet another incident at the former Jobcentre. In 2020 there was a blaze while in the year before, police launched an appeal after a teenager had been assaulted there. It has been
branded an "eyesore" by some and sits on one of the gateways into the County Town.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We were called by the fire service to a fire at a building on Greyfriars Place in Stafford just before 1am.
"An ambulance and paramedic officer were sent to the scene where, on arrival, crews found one male patient who was assessed by ambulance staff but did not require any treatment and was discharged at the scene."
Anyone with information should call Staffordshire Police on 101.