A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after a blaze at an LGBT+ nightclub in Milton Keynes.
Fire crews raced to the Pink Punters nightclub at around 2am on Sunday following reports of the blaze. People were evacuated from the club safely and nobody was injured, police said.
Officers are still working to determine the cause of the fire, but Thames Valley Police (TVP) said a 51-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
The man, from Milton Keynes, remains in police custody for questioning.
Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) said 12 crews were in attendance at the height of the blaze. Firefighters remain on the scene to monitor hotspots and keep the area safe, the service added.
TVP said it is “too early” to comment on any particular motivation behind the incident and warned people not to speculate.
The force urged anyone with any information to come forward.
Chief Superintendent Emma Baillie, commander for Milton Keynes, said: “This was a significant fire in which a large number of people had to be evacuated.
“Thankfully, no one was injured and staff at the venue worked quickly and effectively to safely evacuate everyone.”
She added: “Fire crews and our officers remain on scene, and road closures are likely to remain in place for a significant amount of time.
“Our officers have arrested a man in connection with this incident. He remains in custody at this time, while we carry out ongoing enquiries.
“At this time, it would be too early to comment on any particular motivation for this incident and we would respectfully ask for people not to speculate.
“We would ask anyone with information in relation to this incident to please call 101 quoting reference 43260203265.”
