Police investigate cause of fire next to historic County Hall, headquarters of Hertfordshire County Council

A police investigation is under way after a “large-scale” fire next to Hertfordshire’s historic County Hall raged for three hours.

The blaze took hold in a disused annex building in the grounds of the county council’s headquarters in Pegs Lane, Hertford.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the incident on Tuesday (May 13) at 7.05pm. Six fire engines and support units attended.

The crews remained at the scene through the night, extinguishing the fire shortly before 10pm, before damping down and checking for hotspots.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Andy Hall said: “This was a large-scale fire and firefighters worked hard to contain and extinguish it. I’d like to thank them for their efforts to prevent the fire from spreading further.”

The fire was contained to the annex building and did not affect neighbouring Leahoe House or County Hall. Nobody was hurt in the incident.

Last year, Hertfordshire County Council confirmed plans to sell the 3.12-hectare (7.71-acre) Leahoe House site next to County Hall.

The derelict house and gardens, flats, allotments and tennis courts have been earmarked for possible residential development.

Grade II-listed County Hall was constructed in a neo-Georgian style between 1937 and 1939 to replace the original Shire Hall in Fore Street.