Arsonists were believed to have started an inferno which ripped through two derelict flats and a shop in the centre of Southend.

Victoria Avenue remained shut on Friday after 50 firefighters on eight fire engines from across south Essex spent most of Thursday night tackling the blaze in a row of semi-detached buildings near Roots Hall stadium.

For more on this story see 'South Essex: Shocking toll of arsonists' work' in the drop-down menu at the bottom of this story At first investigators could not rule out that someone was inside the building as it was too dangerous to do a full search.

Hundreds of bystanders stood and watched the blaze, which started in the flat above the former tandoori restaurant, Yasin, which burned down some years ago. Flames then spread to the next door flat and an empty shop on the ground floor.

Divisional officer Olly Holford, from Basildon, said: "One of the buildings is 99 per cent destroyed and the other is about 50 per cent destroyed. We are looking at a suspicious cause to the fire and we think it was probably kids but we have to carry out an investigation before we can be sure."

(Right and left) Inferno - firefighters race into action as smoke pours from the derelict buildings near Southend United's Roots Hall stadium.

Pictures: DAVE HENDERSON and LUAN MARSHALL

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