Updated: A FIRE ripped through a York nightclub, devastating the first, second and third floors.

The fire began at Club Salvation, in George Hudson Street, shortly after 4am on Saturday when the venue had closed. An hour earlier, hundreds of people had been dancing in the club.

The blaze began on the first floor open-roofed smoking area and was spotted by head doorman Richard Peel who was nearby. He raised the alarm and the staff members who were in the club were evacuated.

Mark Lawrence, who deals with promotions for Club Salvation, tried to tackle the fire, which he said was in the middle of the smoking area.

He said: “When I got there I got an extinguisher, but there was no chance. The flames were too high and it was too hot.”

Firefighters from York, Acomb, Huntington and Tadcaster were sent to the scene as was an aerial ladder and they used breathing apparatus and hoses.

The road outside was closed and the fire was brought under control by 6.45am, but the wooden outside smoking area on the first floor was gutted as were offices on the second and third floors.

The main part of the club on the ground floor suffered smoke and water damage, but the club’s management team said they hoped to reopen by next Thursday.

Adam Cook, marketing and promotions manager, said: “The best thing was there was nobody hurt and nobody trapped in the building.”

He paid tribute to the firefighters.

He said: “Two firefighters came straight away, they were pretty quick.”

He said the main part of the club on the ground floor needs cleaning, painting and some new carpets but escaped serious damage. He said it would give the club’s management the chance to give it a new look.

He said Club Salvation’s sister venue, BPM, would be opening as usual.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said it was investigating the cause of the blaze.