A major blaze which destroyed a listed building is believed to have been started by an electrical fault.

The former New Inn pub in Gravesend caught fire last Thursday and very little of the building remains.

The fire last week

Firefighters were at the scene in Milton Road, at the junction of Queen Street, for around 24 hours after flames broke out at around 1pm.

At its peak, nine fire engines were in attendance along with a height vehicle.

By 4pm, that number had been reduced to seven engines and the height vehicle, with crews continuing to fight the flames and cut away any hot spots.

By 8.30pm, it had been scaled back to six crews who were turning over and damping down as an investigation was launched into the cause.

Due to the nature of the fire, and the fumes and dust still coming up from the site, people living in the nearby area including Queen Street, Milton Road and Parrock Street were still being asked to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution.

Firefighters remained on the scene holding a watching brief overnight to make sure the fire didn't reignite, and to keep the scene safe.

By Friday morning, people were being told they could open their windows again but crews were still monitoring the remains and carrying out their investigation into how it started.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service operations did not fully stop until just before 12.30pm on Friday.

Today, a spokesman for the service said: "It is believed the fire started due to an electrical fault."

Kent Highways has said Milton Road – one of the main routes into town – will stay shut until 5pm on June 2.

Affected roads by the closure are Harmer Street, Milton Street, Ordnance Road, Edwin Street, Berkley Road, West Crescent Road and The Grove.

Pender Pharmacy, which was in the unit next door to the pub, has also seen its building severely damaged and staff are temporarily fielding calls at Gravesend Medical Centre.

Kent Police has been contacted for further information.