Firefighters today revealed a blaze which gutted the roof of a derelict building in the grounds of Rochford Hospital was being treated as suspicious.

Firefighters using breathing apparatus and thermal imaging equipment searched the premises which used to be a hospital ward after receiving a call on Sunday, but found no-one inside.

Andy Beale, station officer at Southend Fire Station, said: "Thankfully we did not find anyone but the search was made harder by the fact that the building had been boarded up so it was hard to see which was why we used the thermal image equipment."

He added: "Apparently homeless people had taken to sleeping there."

A fire service spokesman confirmed the incident was being treated as suspicious but no further information was available.

Published Wednesday, March 6, 2002