A MAJOR fire at a former hospital site sparked a county wide emergency operation after fears that a number of people might be trapped inside the building.

The Kent County Ophthalmic Hospital in Church Street, Maidstone, has become a target for "vagrants and drug users" since its closure by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust last year.

As firefighters tackled the blaze it became clear no-one was in the building. The fire, which destroyed the roof and upper floor of what were originally the nurses' quarters, is being treated as arson.

About 65 firefighters from across Kent were called to the scene at about 6.20am on Sunday. Crews wearing breathing apparatus carried out a full search of the building, while ambulance and police officers were on standby.

The building, known as Trinity House, is detached from the main hospital building and until the hospital closed had been used to store medical records.

CCTV cameras in the area are being checked as part of a investigation. It is believed the fire may have been smouldering for several hours.