TWO young men have been questioned by police on suspicion of arson after a ferocious blaze ripped through a former social club.

Flames shot up to ten feet into the air at the former Parr Labour Club on Chancery Lane last Thursday as fire tore through the empty building.

Firefighters had to spend 20 hours at the scene and nearby road closures led to widespread traffic disruption. Black smoke could be seen rising into the skies from across town and pictures taken by Star contributors captured the drama. Senior fire officers have told the Star they believe the cause was arson and are probing a series of smaller fires nearby and in other St Helens communities that day to establish if there were any links.

Two suspects, aged 22 and 18, were arrested by police last week before being released on police bail pending further enquiries.

St Helens fire chief Chris Case told the Star: “At this stage indications suggest that the fire at was a suspected deliberate ignition.

“It produced flames which reached more than 10 feet into the air and large volumes of smoke, which can cause a danger to motorists as it reduces visibility.

“We have seen recent cases where people have appeared in court in Merseyside, charged with arson and been fined or received jail terms.”

Meanwhile, Merseyside Fire and Rescue dismissed social media speculation that a firefighter had been injured at the scene.