DETECTIVES Investigating Blaze At Old Arts Guild Building
TEENAGERS were seen running away from the former Greenock Arts Guild premises around the time of a blaze at the site, police said.
Fire crews were called to Campbell Street around 9.20pm on Sunday and a high-reach platform was deployed to tackle flames which tore through the roof of the structure.
Detective Inspector David Wagstaff said the fire was “most likely wilful” and that youths had been reported fleeing the area.
The building was being treated as a crime scene and police were awaiting a decision from experts on whether it was safe to conduct investigations inside.
He added that officers are keen to hear from a man who is believed to sleep rough in the building to make sure he is safe and well. Firefighters found no trace of him.
Witnesses should call police on 101.
The theatre and cultural venue closed when the Beacon Arts Centre opened in 2013. Permission to demolish the building was given several years ago.
Another, less serious, fire broke out at the building in October.
