Police probe finds nothing criminal in dramatic fire which ruined Aberdeen restaurant last December

Investigators have ruled there was “no criminality” in a fire which ruined a north-east restaurant and office building late last year.

Police have confirmed their probe into the cause of the blaze at Valentino’s has now concluded, and that there is no evidence of any crime being committed.

Flames roaring out of the roof of 70 Carden Place dominated the sky after the fire broke out early on the morning of December 23.

The bar and restaurant had become an institution in the city’s West End, trading as Dizzy’s for many years.

It also housed professional firms including Quantum Claims, Lefevre Litigation and Bidwells.

Nearly 11 months on from the blaze, a police spokeswoman confirmed: “The investigation has now concluded and no criminality has been established.”

Described by firefighters as a “large and challenging” incident, it took crews 19 hours to fully put the fire out.

The effort was stood down around 14 hours after the initial 999 call at 2.10am – only for the flames to reignite beneath the rubble some 25 minutes later.

Around 40 firefighters were involved in the effort.

Earlier this year, a teenager admitted raiding the ruined building for charred bottles of bubbly.