TWO hundred clubbers had to be evacuated from a Southampton nightclub this morning after a fire broke out.

A joint investigation between police and fire chiefs has been launched into the blaze at the Rhino Club in Bedford Place.

A spokesman for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service described the cause as “doubtful”.

The club will be shut tonight. A decision has not yet been taken about whether it will open tomorrow night.

Fire crews from St Mary’s, Redbridge Hill, Hightown and Eastleigh were called at 2.15am.

When they arrived they found smoke coming from the roof.

Staff had already evacuated everyone from the two-storey nightclub.

Damage was caused to parts of the roof and first floor.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service station manager Mark White said: “The fire was contained to the rear fire escape and roof space of the nightclub. Had it not been for the firefighters good work this could have been a much more serious incident with the possibility of further damage to the building and a risk of spread of fire to the adjacent derelict building.”

The nightclub was badly damaged three years ago when a fire started in the next door Co-op and spread under the floorboards.