Monday, 26 November 2007, 12:59 GMT
Pub left unsafe by serious fire

A pub in Buckinghamshire has partially collapsed following a fire that broke out in the early hours of Monday.

Fifty firefighters spent several hours at the Lone Tree on the A421 near Buckingham after a passing motorist raised the alarm at 0300 GMT.

Firefighters had thought people were trapped inside, but all people at the pub have been accounted for.

Buckinghamshire Fire Service said the building's front wall had collapsed, leaving the two end walls unstable.

'Lot of damage'

Part of the A421 was closed for about three hours while the blaze was brought under control, but police re-opened it at about 0600 GMT.

Fire station manager Dave Norris, who was in charge of the incident, said: "Although there is a lot of damage at the front of the building, crews have done extremely well to prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of it.

"During the early part of the incident, one person was unaccounted for and firefighters carried out a search.

"I am pleased to say that it is now clear the building was not occupied at the time of the fire and the person has now been accounted for."

An investigation into the cause of the fire has begun.