AN investigation has been launched into a major fire which devastated a large historic grade II listed building.

Flames could be seen for miles around after the blaze took hold and the hipped slate roof caved in at the former Wesley Methodist Church in the centre of Hartlepool on Saturday night.

Witnesses reported seeing flames rise around 20ft into the sky as the fire ripped through the roof space of the 1871 building in Victoria Road, which was also a nightclub before it fell into disuse.

Emergency services were alerted to the fire at 8.30pm, and firefighters and police worked at the scene into Sunday. Surrounding roads were closed and revellers watched from behind a cordon as firefighters used platforms to get closer to the roof of the building.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, but it is understood to have caused 100 per cent damage to the roof and fourth floor of the property. There are currently no reports of any injuries being sustained as a result of the fire, with the authorities describing the building as unoccupied.

On Sunday, a structural engineer carried out an assessment of the building, while police and fire services confirmed they will be working together to establish the cause of the blaze.

Witness Rona Turton said: “It was a crazy night, awful to watch. The heat was intense and I didn’t know if it was going to explode at one point. It’s just smoke now – the firefighters have been amazing, what a shift they’ve put in.”

Neil Gibson, 61, joined a number of people who claimed the fire may not have happened if the building - which has been out of use for a number of years - had been occupied.

He added: “It’s terrible to see, it’s a beautiful building and I think it will be torn down now.”

In 2014, the building was identified as among the top ten most endangered Victorian buildings in England and Wales, by conservationists The Victorian Society.