FAMILIES were evacuated from their homes as a blaze tore through an empty workshop in Accrington early today.

Fire crews from Accrington, Oswaldtwistle and Blackburn tackled the flames at the empty unit in Leyland Street which started around 2.30am.

The blaze is being treated as suspicious and fire chiefs say it could be linked to two other fires which broke out close to the scene in the early hours.

People from five houses in Rutland Street, which backs onto the warehouse, were evacuated for more than half an hour as the building's roof caught fire.

At least half the building, including its roof and back wall, was destroyed in the blaze.

Crews had already been called to a fire in a skip in a back street between Holland Street and Percival Street, Accrington, which spread to two back gates, at 1.10am.

They also went to a compound in Rutland Street at 1.30am where a LandRover was damaged in another fire.

Accrington fire station sub officer Gary Monk said: "We were concerned that the sparks which were shooting around may have caused a problem, so we asked the police to evacuate some of the houses as a precaution."

"There is a possibility that the fires are linked because the streets are in the same area and we got the calls so close soon after each other.

"We are investigating along with the police and all three incidents are being treated as suspicious."

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