An 18th-century building thought to have been the wonkiest pub in Britain has been reduced to rubble after being gutted by a fire at the weekend.
Images posted on social media seem to show that the structure of The Crooked House near Dudley had collapsed on Monday. The building on Himley Road in the West Midlands city was extensively damaged after the fire on Saturday evening.
It was not immediately clear how the building came to be demolished.
Police have said they are “reviewing all of the available evidence” on the cause of the blaze. No one was inside the building at the time of the fire or injured.
The incident, which required 30 firefighters to extinguish, came two weeks after the building was sold by brewer Marston’s to a private buyer.
Staffordshire police said investigations into the cause of the fire were under way and a cordon was in place around the site.
Earlier in the day, 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.
“We’re asking people to avoid the area. Those who may have any useful information are urged to get in touch with us whilst we continue to complete our lines of inquiry alongside the fire service.”
The pub became a popular local landmark due to one side being significantly lower than the other, caused by the effects of nearby mining. The building, which dates back to 1765, was put on the market 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 needed 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 of SFRS, who attended the scene, 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 building has since been assessed as unsafe and the cordon remains in the area to ensure the safety of the public whilst we continue to carry out our investigation.”
Andy Street, the mayor of the West Midlands, said the fire at the property had been a “tragedy”.
He added he hoped the landmark could be restored and preserved.
Anyone with information that may help the investigation is urged to contact Staffordshire police quoting incident 761 of 5 August.
