Investigation under way after ambulance explodes into flames on Maden Street in Accrington

Fire crews were called to the scene of the blaze in Maden Street in the Church area of the town at around 1.15am on Sunday (November 24).

The ambulance had been decommissioned and parked on the street for some time before it caught fire under suspicious circumstances.

Pictures captured the former North West Ambulance Service vehicle in flames shortly after neighbours were startled awake by a “big bang” from the street.

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Police closed the road while fire crews tackled the blaze with hose reels for 40 minutes. A joint investigation into the cause of the blaze is under way.

A fire service spokesperson said: "At 1.16am, two fire engines from Hyndburn attended a large vehicle fire on Maden Street, Church, Accrington.

“Firefighters used two breathing apparatus and two hose reels to extinguish the fire and were at the scene for forty minutes. The cause of the fire is under investigation."