logo
Derelict nightclub fire started 'deliberately'

Derelict nightclub fire started 'deliberately'

Yahoo03-03-2025

A fire at a derelict nightclub in Plymouth was started deliberately, according Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Services (DSFRS).
Crews were called to the premises next to KFC on Union Street at about 16:30 GMT on Saturday where the first and second floor of the property were alight.
A DSFRS spokesperson said the "strucure of the building was deemed to be dangerous" as crews worked to prevent the escalation.
They added: "We carried out a joint investigation with the police and we believe the fire was started deliberately."
Discussing the scale of the incident, the spokesperson added: "The first and second floors were found to be well alight on our arrival.
"The structure of the building was deemed to be dangerous as fire crews continued to prevent the escalation of the fire.
"The fire had broken into the roof space and was threatening to spread into the adjacent buildings."
Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.
People told to close windows and doors due to fire

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Four people die in blaze in French city of Reims
Four people die in blaze in French city of Reims

Yahoo

time18 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Four people die in blaze in French city of Reims

Four people have died in an overnight house fire in the northern French city of Reims, authorities said on Friday. One child is among the dead and another child is missing, according to the local prefecture. Two adults were hospitalized with serious injuries and 12 suffered minor injuries. According to the prefecture, the figures are provisional, and emergency services have not yet been able to inspect a flat that was badly hit by the fire. Authorities said the fire broke out on the fourth floor of the apartment building at around 12:30 am (2230 GMT Thursday) and spread quickly. It was initially unclear what caused the fire, which has now been extinguished. Around 40 people were temporarily housed in a gymnasium due to the blaze.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs dangled Cassie's friend off balcony, jury hears
Sean 'Diddy' Combs dangled Cassie's friend off balcony, jury hears

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Yahoo

Sean 'Diddy' Combs dangled Cassie's friend off balcony, jury hears

By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs dangled a friend of his former girlfriend Casandra Ventura off the balcony of a high-rise apartment in September 2016, the friend testified on Wednesday at Combs' sex trafficking trial. "I was held over a 17-story balcony," Bryana Bongolan, Ventura's friend, told jurors in Manhattan federal court. Bongolan, 33, said Combs later threw her onto the balcony furniture. She said she suffered bruises as a result of the incident and had night terrors and paranoia. The judge called a lunch break in the trial before prosecutors could ask Bongolan for additional details about the incident. Her testimony was expected to resume shortly after 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT). Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say Combs over two decades coerced women, including Ventura, to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers known as "Freak Offs." The trial is in its fourth week. Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, told jurors last month she took part in Combs' Freak Offs for about a decade, at first to please him and later because he blackmailed her with videos of the encounters. She said Combs frequently beat her. Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office say Combs and his associates used force and the threat of force to coerce women to take part in the Freak Offs and to make sure witnesses to his abuse remained quiet. Combs' lawyers have acknowledged he was at times abusive in domestic relationships, but argue that women who took part in Freak Offs did so consensually. Combs could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Prosecutors have said they may finish presenting their case next week, allowing the defense to put on its case.

Inquest to examine death of woman killed by husband
Inquest to examine death of woman killed by husband

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Yahoo

Inquest to examine death of woman killed by husband

A coroner has said there remain "sufficient reasons" for an inquest to investigate the death of a woman after her husband was jailed for her murder more than a year ago. Taiwo Abodunde, 41, suffered "catastrophic brain injuries" when Olobunmi Abodunde attacked her at their home in Newmarket, Suffolk, in November 2023. Abodunde, 48, was told he would serve a minimum of 17 years in prison when he was jailed for life last May, having admitted killing his wife with a skateboard. At a pre-inquest hearing, Suffolk Coroner Darren Stewart said an inquest was needed to address matters "that were not dealt with" during the trial at Ipswich Crown Court. At Abodunde's trial, the crown court heard how he had been arrested and then bailed the day before his wife's death after Suffolk Police was called to a domestic incident. The next day, officers returning for a pre-arranged appointment with Mrs Abodunde heard between 40 and 50 "thuds", receiving no reply when they knocked at the door. They were cleared by senior officers to enter the house at 09:45 GMT, about 25 minutes after they had arrived. They found the "lifeless body of Mrs Abodunde with her skull smashed in", prosecutor Stephen Spence KC told the court. The handling of the police's response was examined by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which ruled two officers would face gross incompetence meetings. Suffolk Police said its investigation to determine whether or not the actions of its attending officers amounted to gross incompetence remained ongoing. At the pre-inquest hearing, Mr Stewart said he would not conduct the inquest "until after those proceedings have completed", and added: "The inquest is a not a blame game." The inquest is expected to last two weeks but is not likely to get under way until next March, at the earliest. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Man jailed for life for killing wife with skateboard 'Police might have saved my sister from husband' Independent Office for Police Conduct

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store