A FIRE which started outside a well-known entertainment venue is being treated as suspicious.
Two crews from Blackpool fire station were called to Sands, on the Promenade, at 7.05am yesterday.
Police are now studying CCTV footage of a man seen leaving the area outside the building shortly after the crews arrived.
Some minor smoke damage was caused to the interior of the building as a result of the blaze, as well as some external heat damage.
Ian Alder, watch manager at Blackpool fire station, said: “It looks as though it started from outside.
“From what we believe there was somebody sleeping outside. The fire appears to have happened where they were sleeping.”
Insp Rick Irving, from Lancashire Police, confirmed the force was investigating the fire after its officers were called out shortly after the fire brigade’s arrival.
He said: “We had a report of a fire in the morning.
“We attended the scene at the fire service’s request as they believe the fire was deliberate, there was some external damage to the building.
“There was a vagrant type character seen leaving but we don’t know who that is.”
Sands was able to open as normal yesterday although a small amount of heat damage was caused to door panelling, with some ‘moderate smoke damage’ to the building.
Anyone who saw a man acting suspiciously near the venue at that time or has any information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Lancashire Police on 101.
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