Cutty Sark blaze 'accidental'

The blaze which engulfed the 138-year-old tea clipper last May was caused by a piece of electrical equipment left on over the weekend, according to a report in The Times.

The Metropolitan Police are expected to say that a dust extractor was the cause of the blaze, the newspaper said, when they publish the results of an extensive inquiry into the blaze.

The 19th century ship suffered serious fire damage at its dry dock location in Greenwich, south-east London.

After the wreckage was made safe, police said the blaze was suspicious and launched an investigation alongside London Fire Brigade.

They brought in forensic experts, seized CCTV footage and interviewed witnesses to identify what caused it.

But no one has been arrested and investigators are expected to announce the fire was sparked accidentally as a result of conservation work.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Garwood will outline the conclusions of the inquiry at New Scotland Yard.

The fire burned through each of the ship's three decks, destroying all the building work structures and tools onboard. The damage added £10 million to the cost of the ongoing conservation project, bringing the total to £35 million.

But enthusiasts, including the Duke of Edinburgh, were relieved to learn much of the ship had been removed and the toll could have been far worse. The masts, deckhouses and saloon, along with half of the planking, had been taken away for conservation or storage.