FIREFIGHTERS searched a smoke-logged building this morning amid fears people were trapped inside.

More than a dozen firefighters from Preston Circus in Brighton searched the derelict former pub in North Road but no one was found.

The brigade's efforts were hampered because the building's floorboards had been removed to try to keep squatters out.

The brigade first received the call alerting them to the fire at 6.30am.

When they arrived they discovered smoke billowing from the basement.

Assistant Divisional Officer Allan Nicholls said: "This is a known haunt of squatters and we are concerned there may be people in there.

"But a lot of the floor has been removed so we are limited in what we can search at the moment."

The cause of the blaze is being treated as "doubtful".

It is at least the third fire at the two-storey building in the past few years.

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