Police have said they are “reviewing all of the available evidence” on the cause of a fire that destroyed the famous Crooked House pub in the West Midlands just two weeks after it was sold to a private buyer.
The pub in Himley, near Dudley, was completely gutted on Saturday night by a blaze that took 30 firefighters to extinguish, days after being sold by the brewer Marston’s.
On Monday, Staffordshire police said an investigation into the cause of the fire at the 18th-century pub was open and that a cordon around the site remained in place.
DI Richard Dancey said: “This incident has caused a great deal of speculation locally and we understand the significance of the building within the local community.
“We would like to remind the public that our investigation is ongoing and we are reviewing all of the available evidence alongside fire investigators to determine the cause of the incident.”
Dancey said people were being asked to avoid the area due to damage to the structure of the building. The force confirmed that no one had been inside the building at the time and no one was injured as a result of the fire.
The pub was famous for its wonky appearance, caused by the building sinking due to mining subsidence, which created optical illusions such as coins appearing to roll uphill.
It had been put up for sale by Marston’s in January this year, a company spokesperson said.
Six fire crews from Staffordshire fire and rescue service (SFRS) and the West Midlands fire service used a high-volume pump and several jets to extinguish the flames after emergency services were called at 9.58pm on Saturday.
Station manager Liam Hickey from SFRS said: “Crews have worked diligently to safely extinguish the fire and make sure damage was minimised as much as possible.
“We know the significance that the building has within the local community and we are working alongside our colleagues in the police to investigate what happened.”
The Black Country Living Museum, which is based nearby, responded to suggestions it could have stepped in to save the building, which dates back to 1765.
“The fire at The Crooked House, Himley, is devastating news, after the recent sale seemed to offer a future for the building, albeit with a new use,” a spokesperson said.
“Unfortunately, the museum was not in a position to save, let alone relocate, the building. Our hope remains, despite the fire, that the Crooked House can, and will, be restored, and once again have sustainable use at Himley.”
Staffordshire police urged anyone with information that may help the investigation to contact the force quoting incident 761 of 5 August.
