THREE youths have been arrested in connection with an arson attack on a derelict bingo hall in the centre of a North-East town.
Pubs, cafs, shops and flats were evacuated on the High Street, Stockton, on Thursday as smoke billowed from the Mecca Bingo Hall.
Between 40 and 50 Army firefighters fought the blaze from outside the building, while two RAF teams went into its roof void to tackle the flames there.
The three youths, all male aged 12, 14 and 15, were due to be interviewed by police last night.
The nearby Ibiza Bar, which had to close due to the fire, has reopened. The Oxfam charity shop will also reopen tomorrow.
Meanwhile, contractors have begun work to make the building safe before it is demolished later this year.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article