Arson inquiry over basement fire

A fire that started in the basement of a former shop in Staffordshire in the early hours is being treated as arson.

Fire crews were called to a fire in a derelict building in Newcastle Street, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, at 1210 GMT.

Station manager Ruth Watchorn-Rice said: "The basement was mildly smoke-logged but no structural damage was caused to the building."

She said no-one was injured in the fire which is thought to have been started deliberately. It was out by 0111 GMT.