Homes are evacuated as warehouse is hit by blaze
DERELICT LOO ROLL FACTORY IN BOLTON WAS ONCE OWNED BY CITY’S FRANNY LEE
A HUGE blaze ripped through a warehouse formerly owned by City legend Franny Lee.
Homes had to be evacuated after firefighters were scrambled to the now derelict industrial unit in Parrot Street, Bolton, at 5am yesterday, which was home to Lee’s toilet roll factory.
At its height, 60 firefighters tackled the blaze, with police, ambulance staff, the National Grid and council building inspectors also at the scene.
Roads around the site were closed and residents in seven homes close to the building were evacuated as a precaution.
Many spent the morning with relatives living nearby before they were allowed back later that morning.
No-one was hurt and the fire service says the cause of the blaze is currently unclear, but they are investigating.
The four storey warehouse was once the home of F H Lee Ltd, the company owned by Mr Lee, who also played for Bolton Wanderers and earned 27 England caps.
He established the business after retiring from the game, with the paper recycling firm known for manufacturing toilet rolls.
Mr Lee, who was appointed City chairman in 1994, became a millionaire from the business.
They left the Parrot Street site in 1999 for a new base in Trafford Park, and the firm was sold a year later.
The fire service sent three aerial appliances to respond to the fire, with 11 fire engines also at the scene.
Mahmood Anwar, a nearby resident, said: “My wife woke up at about 5am. She said there was a fire in the factory. I checked out of the window and there was a very big fire. It was very dangerous, my house is close to the factory.”
Station manager Paul Duggan said during the operation to tackle the blaze: “We have three aerial appliances fighting the fire from above and firefighters are tackling the fire on the ground.
“A number of residents in the area have been evacuated, with assistance from Greater Manchester Police and Bolton Council.
“The council is assisting to find temporary accommodation. An engineer from the council has also been requested to assess the building.”