AN investigation has been launched into a blaze which wrecked a nightclub.

Fire ripped through the two floors of Strings, in central Middlesbrough, and damaged ground-floor shops underneath the nightspot.

Announcing a joint investigation with the fire brigade, Cleveland Police said the fire caused extensive damage.

Divisional Fire Officer Tony Marwood paid tribute to the 40 firefighters who took two hours to bring yesterday's blaze under control.

He said crews arrived to find the building well alight.

Mr Marwood said: "The crews have done an excellent job in tackling a difficult fire. It was difficult to gain access and, because it is on the first and second floor, we had to tackle the fire from the front and the rear.

"They prevented the fire spreading to adjoining premises. The fire was very intense with quite a lot of heat build-up in the premises. Some of the windows had blown out. It is too early to speculate on the cause of the fire."