ARSON investigators are searching a fire-ravaged nightclub to find the source of the blaze.

Dozens of firefighters attended the fire at the Platinum bar on Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, this afternoon.

Police closed the busy road for over an hour while crews extinguished the fire and searched the premises.

Coulby Newham Fire Station Manager Andy Witham said: "Fire crew with breathing apparatus entered the building to check for any casualties and discovered it was empty.

"The fire, which appears to have started on the stairs of the club, had caused some damage, but it is too early to say what the cause of the fire was or whether it is suspicious."