Derby: Fire at historic building was 'sad day for city'

Ashley Waterhouse said it was "a sad day for Derby again" after the fire on the corner of Melbourne Street and Osmaston Road

A civic society said a large fire at an empty Grade II listed building was "a sad day again" for the city of Derby.

The fire at the 19th Century building, on 12 January, was started by a person who had gained entry to seek shelter, an investigation found.

Ashley Waterhouse, from the city's civic society, said the council should look into securing historic sites.

Derby City Council says it cannot accept responsibility for privately-owned buildings.

The joint police and fire investigation found the blaze began in a first-floor fireplace.

Due to the chimney flue being blocked, the fire spread to the roof, which was severely damaged.

Derbyshire Police confirmed to the BBC that no criminal investigation would take place.

Mr Waterhouse said it was "horrifying" to see the state of the building, which was a former nursing school, on the corner of Melbourne Street and Osmaston Road.

He said the fire had left slates off the roof and the stonework of the Gothic-style building, from the 1860s, scarred.

Mr Waterhouse said: "It's a beautiful building unoccupied. There are plenty of buildings like this around Derby at risk and it's something that we should really look at by asking the council to potentially secure, not just listed buildings, but potentially historical buildings of interest.

"There is the Guildhall, Rowditch barracks, we've already seen the Friar Gate Goods Yard on fire a couple of times and that is Grade II listed. That's just to name a couple."

Huge plumes of smoke were seen in Derby city centre when the building was on fire

He told BBC Radio Derby: "There are loads of places that are derelict [in Derby] but it doesn't mean that we have to forget them. Or is it a time now that we reboot and ask the question to the council - can we get somebody to occupy them?

"I think there will be many, many, many fellow listeners of yours that would say the same, which in Derby's heritage buildings is next?"

A spokesperson for Derby City Council said: "The Derbyshire Building Control Partnership, which the council is a member of, attended with the emergency services and has since been in contact with the building's owner, who is currently taking steps to secure the building and make it safe.

"The council cannot accept responsibility for privately-owned buildings within the city, the maintenance and protection of these falls to the property's owner. We will however continue to work with private owners to support them wherever possible."

The fire was started by a person who had gained entry to seek shelter