BY IAN CROUCH

Fire has destroyed the top floor of an abandoned heritage-listed building north of Minmi.

Crews were called to what’s believed to be the former Stagecoach Inn on Lenaghans Drive at Lenaghan just before 9.00am on Sunday.

It’s taken 50 firefighters around 3-and-a-half hours to extinguish the blaze.

Police suspect the building was being used by squatters

Chief Inspector Gerard Lawson says the fire is being treated as suspicious.

“At this stage, we don;t know the cause of the fire and we’d ask for any witnesses who might be able to contribute to the investigation to contact Newcastle detectives or Crime Stoppers,” he said.



The former Stagecoach In, also known as Lenaghan House



The top floor of the property was destroyed in the fire Pictures Castle Property