FIREFIGHTERS spent several hours battling a blaze on an industrial estate after a shoe warehouse caught fire.

Ten engines were needed to get the fire under control, with crew from Preston and Chorley scrambled to assist the East Lancashire units in attendance.

The emergency services were alerted to the incident off Kent Street, Blackburn at 7.30pm last night.

The fire had broken out in Willmans, a shoe storage unit, and posed a threat to nearby properties including aquatic supply store Aqua Mania and several offices.

Speaking at the scene of the blaze, firefighter area manager David Bent, the incident commander, said: "The fire was extremely intense because of the large number of items inside the building and the materials they were made from.

"We were also concerned about some gas cylinders adjacent to the affected buildings but they were not in immediate danger."

He added that fire crew expected to be at the scene for several hours before they could get the situation under control.

The fire caused extensive damage to the brick building, but the full extent could not be assessed until the fire had been extinguished completely.

A hazardous substance unit was present because of the fire's thick black plume of smoke - which could be seen from the M65. A search and rescue team was also called in.

Mr Bent said: "At the time of the call-out we were not aware of anyone who may have been in the premises, but we were not taking any chances."

Crowds of concerned residents and business owners lined Lower Audley Street to watch the firefighters tackle the blaze with aerial ladders and water jets.

Anthony Billington, of Navigation Way, had seen the fire from the window of his house.

He said: "It started out quite small but it seems to have got stronger over the past hour. It is Friday 13 today - I am sure the date is not lost on those involved."

Mahfooz Hussain's business, Homecare, is behind the shoe store, which opened two months ago.

He said: "Thankfully no one appears to have been hurt. The fire service has done an excellent job. They were here very quickly and have been working very hard ever since."

The cause of the fire has not yet been established.