FIREBUG children are being suspected after a massive mill blaze took 50 firefighters four hours to put out.

Investigations into the blaze at the three-storey former Lodge Fabrics warehouse in the centre of Rawtenstall were continuing today and the fire brigade believe it may have been started by children.

Youngsters were seen playing in the disused building in Burnley Road shortly before the fire broke out at 5pm on Saturday.

Station Officer David Bowers, of Rawtenstall fire station, said firefighters could have been put at risk having to search the building after fears the youngsters might still have been inside.

Fortunately it was established the building was clear before a search was launched.

Station Officer Bowers said: "There were reports that children had been playing in the building. It's something that we're looking into as part of the investigation.

"I was disappointed that no-one told the police about it.

"We had people coming to us during the fire asking if there were children inside. "Fortunately these children turned up but there could have been a situation where firefighters had to go into a building where there was a danger of the roof collapsing to search for youngsters who are not there.

"I would say that if people see children playing in empty buildings they should contact the police who will get them out.

"It's only a matter of time before children set a building on fire with them trapped inside it."

Eight fire crews from Rawtenstall, Haslingden, Bacup, Accrington, Burnley, Blackburn, Preston and Fulwood attended the blaze.

Firefighters relayed water from a nearby river across busy Burnley Road to fight the blaze, which had started on the top storey.

The roof eventually collapsed as the blaze was brought under control.

Chanu Miah, works works at the neighbouring Shavaz Indian takeaway, said: "At first there were a lot of flames coming out of the roof and then the windows shattered and smoke was coming from all over the place."

The building, which was largely empty, was formerly used as a storage warehouse for fabrics.

Lodge Fabrics has a mill shop further along Burnley Road.

Rawtenstall police are investigating the incident and are treating the fire as suspicious.

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