Fire crews called back to scene of Tuesday's blaze in Preston city centre after fire reignites
Fire crews were called back to the scene of Tuesday’s blaze in Preston city centre after smoke was seen rising from the wreckage today.
Three fire engines and the aerial ladder platform rushed back to the site off Church Street after the fire reignited at 11.30am - two days after the building was engulfed in flames.
The fire-hit building is now structurally unsafe, said the fire service, and is likely to be demolished.
Crews remained at the scene at 3.30pm, with firefighters using the aerial ladder platform as a water tower to reach the hot spots which have flared up within the building’s wreckage.
A spokesperson for the fire service told the Post: “At 11.31am today, three fire engines from Preston and Penwortham along with the aerial ladder platform from Preston and the drone attended a commercial premises on Church Street, Preston.
“Firefighters are still on scene using the aerial ladder platform as a water tower.”
The Post asked whether the fire-hit building is structurally safe, to which the LFRS spokesperson said: “The answer is no - the building has partially collapsed due to the fire that occurred on Tuesday (November 12).”
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Preston City Council have yet to comment on concerns about the building’s safety or when demolition is expected to take place.
Lancashire Police said a joint investigation is ongoing with the fire service to establish the cause of the blaze. The public can expect to see activity at the scene over the coming days as investigation work is carried out to ensure the property is unoccupied, added the force.
They are also working with Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council to investigate the circumstances behind the fire - the second at a derelict building in the city centre this month.
Supt Gary Crowe said: “This was a major fire and there was a large multi-agency response to tackle it and deal with the aftermath.
“We are working closely with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service to investigate the cause of the fire, and that investigation is ongoing.
“Work is being done to make the site safe together with our partner agencies and also to reassure emergency services no people are present within the site.”
Search dogs were deployed to the site on Wednesday to check for any casualties, but no one appears to have been harmed in the fire which saw huge flames engulf the derelict building behind Sando’s takeaway and The Old Dog Inn.
Preston City Council were approached for comment.
If you have any information about the cause of the fire, you contact police on 101, quoting log 1197 of November 12, 2024.