In pictures - devastating scene of house fire revealed as questions remain over its cause

Questions remain over the cause of a fire last night (June 10) which destroyed an historic house in Gosport.

The roof of Privett Lodge was left completely destroyed after the fire of the derelict house in Privett Road, with crews from Gosport and Portchester tackling the blaze with the assistance of an Aerial Ladder Platform.

The house was due is due to be demolished and replaced with six homes, with residents reporting it has become a hot spot for trespassing and vandalism. Eyewitnesses have told The News youngsters were seen “running” from the area after the fire, with residents fearing the fire was started deliberately.

However the fire service has said it cannot confirm what caused the blaze.

A fire service spokesperson said: “A crew from Gosport returned to the scene this morning to conduct a further inspection of the property. No hotspots were identified.

“Due to the extent of the structural damage sustained by the building, it has not been possible to determine the cause of the fire at this time.”

A police spokesperson said: “At this stage the investigation into the cause of the fire is being led by the fire service.”