POLICE and firefighters are investigating a suspected arson attack inside a Blackburn mosque.
Part of the main prayer room of the Masjid-E-Zaninabia mosque in Logwood Street was damaged by fire and badly smokelogged around 6pm yesterday.
The fire was started when a pair of curtains and some robes were set alight but the building was still in use for prayers today.
Leading Firefighter Dave Hilliard of Blackburn Fire Station said: "We believe the fire may have been started deliberately and we are investigating, along with police. Parts of the mosque were quite severely damaged."
Mosque secretary Mohammed Hussain, 60, was alerted to the blaze when fire engines passed his Logwood Street home.
Mr Hussain, pictured inside the fire-damaged mosque, above, said: "I'm very upset by this. I've lived in Blackburn for 40 years and we've had a few small problems but nothing like this. Luckily there's no real structural damage - it's mainly ceremonial items which were damaged."
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