Investigations into a fire at a vacant factory unit near Shelton have confirmed the blaze was started deliberately.

Staffordshire Police has now taken over the investigation of the fire which closed Howard Place where it meets Stoke Road in both directions on Monday (5 May) morning.

Four fire crews and an aerial ladder platform were tackling the blaze off Pyenest Street, behind the Coffee & Chai cafe, which started just after 6am on Monday 5 May. 

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue said: "We have extinguished a fire inside a derelict building in Stoke-on-Trent.

"Fire crews were called to Pyenest Street, Shelton, just after 6am on Monday (5 May) following reports of smoke coming from a building.

"Four appliances and the aerial ladder platform (ALP) attended the scene and used two main jets and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire.

"Nobody was reported injured and crews left the scene at around 12pm.

"The fire was later deemed to have been caused deliberately and the incident was left with Staffordshire Police."

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