Samlesbury fire: Six engines remain at scene of large fire

Crews from across the county were called just before 6am to Church House Farm in Potter Lane, Samlesbury.

In the cluster of buildings just off the A59, a large building at the back, furthest away from the road, could be seen with smoke billowing out of it.

Brockholes Nature Reserve, opposite the farm on the other side of the River Ribble, was closed as crews used the water from the river to pump into the engines.

READ MORE: Ten fire engines called to Preston New Road, Samlesbury

Earlier today, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service group manager Liam Wilson said in a statement: "Earlier on this morning we attended an incident at Church House Farm at Samlesbury.

"Initial attendance was 10 pumping appliances and then two aerial ladder platforms and a high volume pump.

"We have worked continuously for the duration of this morning alongside partners to firstly extinguish the fire to control and extinguish the fire and then secondly to obviously mitigate the impacts upon the local community.

"We are aware of the road closure affecting the A59 where we have got a water supply from a high-volume pump down at the Brockholes Nature Reserve.

"What we are looking to do is alongside our partners to minimise that disruption.

"We're working continuously and we're working hard in order to extinguish the fire and then as I say mitigate the effects.

"We are having some really good success in that respect and we will be looking in the next 30 minutes or so to reduce the pumping appliances to six, maintaining the aerial ladders at two aerial ladder platforms.

"We are envisaging that firefighting operations will continue for effectively the rest of today as a minimum and then we'll be looking at further reducing the appliances and the resources that are in attendance."

Traffic was slow in the area throughout the morning as one lane on the A59 eastbound was closed and there was a closure on the slip road exiting the M6 at J31.

Drivers were urged to avoid the area by police who were managing the road closures.

Damaged corrugated metal walls on the barn could be seen from a distance while fire crews continued to work on the site, while a command unit was also on-site to organise the firefighting effort.

Firefighters on a cherry picker tackling the blaze (Image: NQ)

An original fire service statement said: "At 5.54am on July 31, ten fire engines from Preston, Bamber Bridge, Blackburn, Leyland, Chorley, Darwen, Nelson and Penwortham and the aerial ladder platforms from Preston and Hyndburn, along with other specialist units, attended a commercial building fire on Preston New Road, Samlesbury.

"If you can see or smell smoke, please keep your windows and doors closed. Please avoid the area.

"Our drone team are also attending this incident. Please do not fly drones as you will obstruct emergency operations."

Drone footage from the response units at the scene showed the damaged building from the air.