FIVE teams of firefighters and the crews of an aerial platform ladder were in action in Tilbury this evening (Monday, 26 December) tackling another blaze at the derelict Calcutta Club.

The alarm was raised around 4.30pm when residents reported hearing a couple of explosions.

It appears children may have broken into the building, possibly lighting fireworks.

It's just four months since firefighters were last on the scene, tackling an arson incident set by people who broke in on 31 August.

It took around two hours for crews from Grays, Orsett, Corringham and Basildon to deal with tonight's incident.

Flames at the rear of the building.

As they damped down senior officers on scene were in contact with Thurrock Council with a view to deploying contractors this evening to make be building safe and secure.

In May this year a cannabis factory was discovered inside the building.

It is just over a year since plans were submitted to Thurrock Council to develop the site into a block of 36 flats.

The former popular club has been in a state of considerable disrepair for around 15 years since it closed. This evening Tilbury St Chads councillor Steve Liddiard called for urgent action to make the site safe, ideally through demolition.

He revealed that recent discussions have been taking place with the site owner and the council's environmental protection team and assurances had been given to him by the team and the owner that the site is safe from break-ins and security is being maintained.

This evening he said: "Clearly in the wake of this incident those assurances don't hold weight. It's time this building was demolished and made safe. That must happen soon."