South Staffordshire Police have confirmed their investigation into a fire at the Crooked House pub last Saturday is being treated as arson.

A press release said that the circumstances of the blaze has ‘shocked and upset so many given the cultural importance and heritage of the building’.

Officers confirmed that a robust investigation using all available information and forensic opportunities is being carried out.

Detectives have spoken to, and continue to engage, with the owners. However a spokesperson said that ‘speculation is extremely unhelpful and could hinder the investigation’.

Police are conducting a joint investigation with colleagues at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and are liaising closely with their fire investigators who have confirmed that the cause of the fire cannot currently be determined.

Firefighters from South Staffordshire Fire and Rescue initially responded to try and extinguish the flames, supported by colleagues from West Midlands Fire Service, and police officers closed the road and managed the scene.

A specialist fire investigator then examined the scene to try and determine the cause of the fire. In this case, it’s believed the fire may have been started deliberately and police are now leading the investigation. They are closely supported by colleagues from fire, who have today revisited with a specialist accelerant detection dog to investigate the grounds.

They are also working closely with the local authority who have different powers and responsibilities. Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Chisholm, Head of Specialist Crime, said:  

“We understand the significance of this much-loved building and the upset and anger felt by many so want to reassure you we’re doing all we can to understand more about what happened, and who was responsible.

“There is lots of misinformation circulating within communities and online and this is unhelpful. We’re trying to provide accurate and timely updates, but as I am sure you can appreciate, there is a lot of work and liaison with a number of partners which needs to be completed and this takes time.

“There are also certain things that police and fire do not have the powers to deal with, the decision around partial demolition of the building for example, when the scene was handed back to the owner.

“We are working hard with our fire colleagues to understand the cause of the fire and are in contact with the landowner, we will keep you updated with any further significant developments.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to get in touch via 101 quoting incident 761 of 5 August, or message using Live Chat at staffordshire.police.uk

Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, tell them what you know, not who you are.