PATIENTS were evacuated from a hospital last night after a suspected arson attack which caused £30,000 of damage.
Firefighters said the blaze at around 7.30pm was started in Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, after someone set fire to a pile of washing stacked up in a third floor room of the mental health unit.
Police were today questioning a man in connection with the blaze which they said was being treated as arson.
The 16 evacuated patients were transferred to a facility in Accrington.
Firefighters said one room was 50 per cent damaged by fire and that the rest of the floor was heavily smoke logged.
Sub Officer Eric Trotter said that almost half the ward would be uninhabitable to patients for some time.
"The ward was filled with thick black smoke as far a some double fire resistant doors," he said, "we had to send in officers with breathing apparatus to find the fire, the smoke was that bad.
"Once it was discovered four officers were sent in. We left by 10.30pm."
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