Sympathy cards left at 'Britain's wonkiest pub' as joint investigation looks into Dudley fire
Flowers and cards of sympathy have been left at the site of a much-loved Grade II-listed pub in the Black Country that has been destroyed by fire, just days after it was sold.
The historic 'Crooked House' in Himley in Dudley went up in flames on Saturday night (5 August).
The pub was once known as "Britain's wonkiest pub", after it began sinking in the early 19th century.
Demolition machinery has now been moved onto the site, as police and fire teams begin a joint investigation into the cause of the blaze.
"It's like the day the Black Country died"
Locals say the loss of the landmark is devastating, saying:
"It's like the day the Black Country died. It's an iconic building and everyone knows it.
"You'd come here on the way to Bridgnorth to have a drink or on the way back".
Staffordshire Police said they are "reviewing all of the available evidence" on the cause of the fire.
A cordon is still in place around the site.
The blaze came just two weeks after the building was sold by brewer Marston's to a private buyer.
Detective Inspector Richard Dancey from CID, said:
"This incident has caused a great deal of speculation locally and we understand the significance of the building within the local community.
"We would like to remind the public that our investigation is ongoing and we are reviewing all of the available evidence alongside fire investigators to determine the cause of the incident.
"Due to the excess damage caused to the structure of the building, the cordon remains in place today and we're asking people to avoid the area.
"Those who may have any useful information are urged to get in touch with us whilst we continue to complete our lines of enquiry alongside the fire service."
The building remains unsafe and its future is unknown.
Six fire crews from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, including teams from Kinver, Cannock, Chase Terrace and Wombourne, were on the scene alongside West Midlands Fire Service crews.
High-volume pump and several jets were used to extinguish the flames.
Station Manager Liam Hickey from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said:
"Crews have worked diligently to safely extinguish the fire and make sure damage was minimised as much as possible.
"We know the significance that the building has within the local community and we are working alongside our colleagues in the police to investigate what happened.
"The building has since been assessed as unsafe and the cordon remains in the area to ensure the safety of the public whilst we continue to carry out our investigation."
"It's devastating .. a piece of history gone"
Paul Turner set up a petition to keep the Crooked House open before the fire.
It had gained nearly nine thousand signatures, of which almost 4,000 came on Monday after the fire. It now stands at nearly ten thousand signatures.
Paul shared his reaction the moment he found about the fire.
He says:
"I was invited to a Facebook group and we were talking about what we can do to save the Crooked House and then suddenly the message came through that it was on fire.
"We followed the updates and saw the pictures the next morning and saw that there was just a shell left".
Many are now calling for answers as to how the fire started, among them the Mayor of the West Midlands. Andy Street described the loss of the historic building as 'a tragedy'.
Paul Turner says there is hope that whatever remains can be restored for future generations to still remember the much-loved Black Country pub.
He says:
"It's devastating, it's a piece of history that has stood since 1760 and suddenly its' gone ... We're hoping there's some way to get it restored, but it's a big job now".
There are calls for the remains of the pub to be exhibited at the Black Country Living Museum - but the museum has said the building is not in a position to save it.