FIREFIGHTERS say a fire smouldering for hours in the back room of an Accrington video store could have caused a major blaze.
Sub officer Gary Monk said the fire was probably caused by an ash tray with a smouldering cigarette end being emptied into rubbish bags, as staff closed the shop on Saturday evening.
A member of staff returned at 4pm yesterday to be confronted by billowing smoke as he opened the door to the back room.
Firefighters believed there were people in the upstairs flat and so four officers entered in breathing apparatus but found no-one.
Gary Monk said: "It was fortunate that the communicating fire door kept back the fire from the front room, or it could have been much more serious. Video cassettes are very inflammable."
Several video recorders and video cassettes were destroyed and the back room was severely smoke damaged.
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