POLICE and fire chief have launched an investigation into a suspicious blaze in Railway Terrace, Brierfield.

Fire crews were called to a derelict property at around 7.10pm yesterday and found the house well alight.

The blaze gutted the first floor and also spread to the second floor.

The front and rear doors of the property were secure but the front window had been smashed.

A house next door which was also unoccupied and a house in the other direction where nobody was home suffered light smoke damage.

Firefighters had to use ventilation fans to clear the properties of smoke and the house was boarded by police.