Firefighters remain at the scene of a major fire in Burnley after a huge blaze broke out earlier this afternoon at a derelict building near the town centre.

The fire, which started at around 2-30pm, affected the site of a former mill and what was once the Circulation Club, behind the Aldi store on Todmorden Road. At the height of the incident, eight fire engines, two aerial ladder platforms, and a drone unit were in attendance, with crews using hosereel jets and ground monitors to tackle the flames.

An update from group manager Liam Wilson tonight confirmed that the incident has now been scaled back to six fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms, though crews continue to battle the fire.

He said: “Our crews and partner agencies will have an attendance throughout tonight and are likely to be on scene throughout tomorrow to firstly extinguish the fire, undertake an investigation, and to minimise the impact to the local community and surrounding areas. We are extremely grateful to the local community for their patience and understanding during the ongoing incident.”

Fire crews at the scene of the blaze in Holmes Street, Burnley.

placeholder image — Fire crews at the scene of the blaze in Holmes Street, Burnley.

The fire caused significant disruption in the area, with several roads closed and emergency services urging people to avoid the area. Those nearby were also advised to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke.