A MYSTERY burglar could have put lives at risk when he set a gas main ablaze after breaking into an empty house.

Police and firefighters were called to the house in Charter Street, Accrington, after a passer-by spotted flames through a broken glass panel in the front door shortly after 7am.

Police said entry had been forced through the front door. A gas main was severed and the electricity meter damaged.

Police are appealing for information about a man, described as being 'rather immaculate' seen leaving the house, which is up for sale, at about 7am.

He is white, in his late teens or early twenties, has short neat dark brown hair, a round face and round rimmed spectacles. He is about 5ft 9in tall, of medium build, has a slight tan and was dressed in a black bomber jacket. Detective Inspector Jim Oldcorn, head of Accrington CID, said : "It would appear the fire has been started deliberately. It could have had serious consequences for other occupiers of the street.

"It could have endangered life and we are investigating it as an extremely serious matter," he added.

Fire crews from Accrington,who put out the blaze, said there was no danger to other properties and no risk of explosion.

Police cordoned off Charter Street, Exchange Street and Fairfield Street for 30 minutes as a safety measure until the gas board had inspected the house.

Sub Officer Duncan Emmett, said: "There were some newspapers behind the front door near the cupboard containing the gas and electricity meters. It seemed like someone had hit the meter with a hammer and then set fire to it. We switched off the supply and put out the fire."

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