A fire that ripped through an LGBT+ nightclub in Milton Keynes has been declared accidental by police.
The blaze erupted at the Pink Punters venue at 2am on Sunday, with Thames Valley Police ruling out any third-party involvement.
A 51-year-old man from Milton Keynes, initially arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, has since been "eliminated" from police inquiries, the force confirmed.
Chief superintendent Emma Baillie said: “We understand that an incident like this can be concerning for the local community, but I want to reassure people that following a thorough joint investigation with Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS), we have found no evidence of any criminality.
“The fire is believed to have been accidental in nature, and thankfully no one was injured.
“I would also like to commend the staff at Pink Punters, who worked quickly and effectively to ensure everyone was safely evacuated.”
Pink Punters has been running for more than two decades and has dancefloors and an outdoor bar, and offers karaoke.
The nightclub’s owner Frank McMahon said he was “profoundly relieved” that the fire was not a “deliberate attack” or a “hate crime”.
Mr McMahon said that the firm’s staff acted “quickly, calmly and professionally” to move hundreds to safety, meaning no-one was injured.
He added: “Pink Punters has always placed safety at the heart of its operation.
“The building was lost, but lives were protected, and that remains the most important fact of all.
“This incident is a painful reminder that even with strong safety systems in place, rare and unforeseen circumstances can still occur.”
A clubgoer described security personnel "dragging" people from the venue when the fire broke out.
Lester Jay was in the “packed” cellar of Pinks, as it is known locally, when he first noticed security yelling at the crowds to get out.
Mr Jay told the Press Association: “Downstairs was really packed, there was I’d say about a couple of hundred people just in the cellar.
“You could immediately feel and see from security that it wasn’t a drill, and that it was a real-life scenario.
“I was standing close to a fire door so was one of the first ones out, but then everyone was just flooding out from everywhere and you immediately turn around and see the place in flames.
“When we stood outside, it was actually raining embers all over this car park, it was like it was raining fire. Hence why they then had to make a decision to clear everyone out of the area.”
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