Drug farm claim after mill inferno
Crews battle flames through the night
THE owner of a former mill devastated by a huge blaze claims it was used as cannabis farm a month ago.
Firefighters from across Lancashire and Manchester spent hours battling the blaze at Irwell Mill in Waterfoot which was reported at just before midnight on Saturday.
Firefighters used two aerial ladder platforms, and the road was closed in both directions between Rossendale Police Station and the B6238 Burnley Road East.
The owner of the mill revealed: “We think it’s probably drug addicts who’ve gone in there and then there’s been a flame which has started the fire.”
THE owner of a former mill devastated by a huge blaze claims it was used as cannabis farm a month ago.
Firefighters from across Lancashire and Manchester spent hours battling the blaze at Irwell Mill in Waterfoot which was reported at just before midnight on Saturday, August 28.
Crews from Bacup, Rawtenstall, Burnley, Hyndburn, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bispham, and South Shore, as well as two from Manchester, were called to the former Kidderminster Footwear building on Bacup Road just before midnight on Saturday.
Firefighters used two aerial ladder platforms, and the road was closed in both directions between Rossendale Police Station and B6238 Burnley Road East.
Engineers from Cadent Gas and Electricity North West were also called to the scene to disconnect gas and electricity supplies going into the premises.
The owner of the mill revealed what fire investigators believe started the fire.
“Someone has broken in, we think through the skylight as it’s happened a couple of times before, and they must have then opened the shutters at the back of the mill because the fire officer said it was up when they got there,” the owner, who didn’t want to give his name, said.
“We think it’s probably drug addicts who’ve gone in there and then there’s been a flame which has started the fire. A few weeks back there was two lads in there and the police chased them off, they caught one of them.”
In July police uncovered a large scale cannabis farm at the mill with around 500 mature plants being grown inside the abandoned building. When officers arrived at the scene at 9.40am on Tuesday, July 13 two men were seen running from the premises. The police raid was in response to a tip-off from a member of the public who suspected the former shoe store was being used to grow cannabis. There has since been a change in tenants which meant the building has gone back on the market. The fire followed soon after.
“We only put up the to let/for sale sign a few days ago and then on Sunday someone knocked on the door and said the mill was on fire,” he added.
“It has happened; there’s nothing we can do about it.”
The fire’s cause is under investigation. Anyone with information can call police on 101, quoting log 1804 of August 28, 2021.