A 51-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life
A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following a “significant” fire at an LGBT+ nightclub. Thames Valley Police were called at around 2am on Sunday (April 26) after reports that the Pink Punters venue in Milton Keynes had gone up in flames.
A large number of revellers and nearby residents in the Watling Street area were successfully evacuated by staff, police confirmed. Video footage appears to show fire tearing through the upper floor of the building, with flames leaping high above the rooftop.
Police confirmed that the exact cause of the blaze has yet to be determined. Officers and Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue crews remain at the scene, with road closures still in force.
A 51-year-old man from the Buckinghamshire city was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and is currently being held in custody, police said.
Pink Punters has been operating for more than two decades, offering dancefloors, an outdoor bar and karaoke nights, according to the Express. At the height of the blaze, 12 fire crews were on site, the fire service confirmed, reports the Mirror.
Milton Keynes commander Chief Superintendent Emma Baillie said: “This was a significant fire in which a large number of people had to be evacuated. Thankfully no one was injured and staff at the venue worked quickly and effectively to safely evacuate everyone.”
She added: “At this time it would be too early to comment on any particular motivation for this incident and we would respectfully ask for people not to speculate.”
Anyone with information is urged to get in touch with police by calling 101, quoting reference 43260203265.
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