FIRE fighters spent five hours tackling a blaze in a former garrison gym.
Crews from Colchester, Wivenhoe, Mersea, Tiptree and Tollesbury were called to the property in Circular Road South, Colchester, after the blaze broke out around 2.30am on Friday.
The building - which measured 95 metres by 10 metres - was well alight when crews arrived.
The building had partly collapsed by 4am and it took until 7am to put the fire out.
Back up crews from Great Baddow, Chelmsford and Braintree remain at the scene as crews are turning over and damping down to eliminate all hot spots in the remains.
The cause of the fire has been recorded as undetermined.
A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Police were contacted by the fire service just after 2.30am with reports of a fire in a derelict building.
"Officers attended and closed the road while firefighters tackled the flames.
"Police are awaiting advice from the fire service as to whether the cause of the fire is suspicious."
More to follow.
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