Homes evacuated Schools closed Railway line shut
HOMES were evacuated and schools closed after a huge blaze took hold of a textile warehouse in Rochdale.
Around 100 firefighters were scrambled to the burning industrial unit in Albert Royds Street, Belfield, just after 1.10am on Thursday morning.
People living in three homes nearby were evacuated as crews fought to protect properties from the flames.
Residents described being woken in the night by an ‘explosion’ and several loud bangs.
Albert Royds Street was cordoned off as the brigade worked throughout the day to douse the fire and make the area safe.
Residents living nearby were urged to keep windows and doors shut as a precaution against the large amount of smoke being spewed from the building.
The fire service said there was a ‘small amount’ of asbestos in the burning structure.
Four primary schools, a private nursery and railway line were also closed as a precaution.
Belfield Community School, Hamer Community Primary, Springside School, Brownhill Learning Community centre and Appletree Nursery were shut for the day.
All trains between Todmorden and Rochdale were halted too, causing further disruption to transport in the area.
Audrey Taylor, a resident on nearby St Ann’s Road, dialled 999 when she heard the factory alarm sounding shortly after 1am.
Mrs Taylor said: “By the time I had put the phone down the building was well alight. They evacuated all the houses behind it.
“To see something go up like that in real life was very frightening actually. The building has been completely destroyed.
“The fire service rang me this morning to say thank you for calling it in.
“The firefighters have done a marvellous job. They haven’t stopped since they arrived.”
Several floors of the building collapsed as firefighters tackled the flames.
A spokesman for the fire service said it was too early to establish the cause of the fire.
On Thursday at 3pm, four fire engines and two aerial appliances remained at the scene as crews continued to extinguish the last remaining pockets of fire.
Incident Commander Pete Lamb said: “Everyone has done a really good job in responding to this fire, with multiple agencies coming together to minimise disruption as far as possible. We have now been able to scale down the incident, however the road and railway will remain closed for the time being.
“There is still a bit of smoke coming from the fire and I’d like to remind local residents to keep their doors and windows closed whilst that’s the case.”