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A suspicious fire which ripped through and gutted the ground floor of a disused pub is being linked to an assault in the area at the same time.
Flames took hold of the 19th century Westcourt Arms in Canterbury Street, Gillingham in the early hours of this morning.
This is the moment firefighters fought back the flames
Crews in six fire engines spent more than seven hours bringing the blaze under control before declaring it safe around 9am.
The alarm was raised just after 1am, with crews called to douse the flames using hose reel jets and a hydrant.
Police also attended after a man was reported to have been assaulted by another man in the same street.
No one was hurt in the fire, and the cause has not yet been confirmed but officers say it is being treated as suspicious.
They are linking the fire and the assault, in which a man reported being punched and kicked.
Recovery crews remain at the scene today, where the pub's ground floor was being boarded up.
The Westcourt had been serving punters for 131 years when last orders were called in 2019.
Pictures revealed the extent of the damage at the disused property which had been completely gutted inside with smoke damage on the exterior.
Shopkeeper Mr Kiruba, who works opposite, arrived at work this morning to find emergency crews still in attendance.
He said: "When I came back all police and the fire brigade were there.
"I can see the ground floor has been badly damaged."
A spokesman for Kent Police said: "We was called to a report of an assault in Canterbury Street, Gillingham, at around 1.20am.
"Officers attended where a man is reported to have been assaulted by another man. Kent Fire and Rescue Service also attended the location due to a fire at a disused pub in the street."
Police say enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident and the fire is currently being treated as suspicious.
Anyone who has information on the assault or how the fire may have been started should call Kent Police on 01634 792209 quoting reference 46/110453/21.
