By Alana Razzell

PRIESTWOOD residents were surprised to see thick black smoke bellowing out of the roof of a derelict office block last week.

Alarmed residents of Simmonds Close called the fire brigade as soon as they realised the old Racal building on Western Road was on fire at about 8pm on Wednesday evening.

The fire started in the lift shaft of the office block but had rampaged its way on to the fourth and fifth floors of the building by the time firefighters arrived.

The blaze took crews from Bracknell, Wokingham and Crowthorne two hours to put out.

Leading firefighter Neil Whiteman, from Wokingham, said: “There was a fire in the lift shaft and because the lift doors were open it spread onto the fourth and fifth floor.

“It took a while to put it out because it is a fair old sized building.”

The building, which is six storeys high, has been derelict since electronics company Racal moved out nearly two years ago.

Firefighters added that the building had had “all its windows broken” and had been vandalised before they were called to tackle the inferno.

Police believe the fire was arson and have appealed for anyone who saw anything or anyone acting suspiciously to contact them.

A police spokesperson said: “We are investigating a report of arson following a fire in the Western industrial area in Bracknell.

“Unknown offenders gained entry to a business premises by unknown means and we believe they deliberately started a fire.”

She added that the company looking after the empty building had been given crime reduction advice and had since boarded up the broken windows.

Anyone with information can contact Sgt Richard

Webb at Bracknell police station on (08458) 505 505 or crime stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.