Police turn to the public to flush out arsonists who destroyed Gosport's Anglesey Lodge
POLICE are hunting for witnesses after arsonists destroyed an historic building in Gosport.
About 40 firefighters from across the region spent almost six hours battling to save Anglesey Lodge, in Anglesey Road, on Friday evening.
The derelict building was engulfed by flames, with the blaze completing gutting it, destroying about 80 per cent of the property.
Police have already launched an arson probe into the lodge’s destruction. Now officers are appealing for the public to help them with their investigation in a bid to flush out the culprits.
A spokesman for Hampshire police said: ‘We are appealing for witnesses after a fire was set in a derelict building on Anglesey Road, Gosport.
‘We were called to the incident just after 6.30pm on Friday. The fire caused substantial damage to the building and police are investigating it as an arson.
‘Officers investigating have conducted a number of enquiries over the weekend and are now turning to the public for help.
‘Were you in the area at the time? Perhaps you saw someone enter the building?’
Those with information about the attack is asked to call police on 101 quoting the reference number 44200431804.
Gosport crew manager Adam Way, who sent two appliances to the scene, said: ‘We describe it as cause doubtful – meaning we suspect it was started deliberately.
‘No one lives in the building, which has been derelict for a number of years, and there is no electricity or gas supply so it is hard to see how it could not have been started deliberately.’
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