Huge fire breaks out at Longridge Shay Lane Industrial Estate

Crews from across Lancashire tackled the blaze at Shay Lane Industrial Estate after the office and packing site of Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses caught fire around 9.30pm.

Firefighters worked through the night with two aerial ladder platforms, a stinger appliance, drone unit, high-volume pump and a command unit dispatched to the scene to help bring the blaze under control.

No casualties were reported.

Firefighters used the aerial ladder platforms, three main jets, and a water bowser to extinguish the fire which tore through a building around 80X60m in size.

Lancashire Police closed roads in the area and diverted traffic away from the area while residents were told to keep windows and doors closed due to thick plumes of smoke.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has not said what caused the fire.

Firefighters are expected to remain on the scene throughout Tuesday and schools in the area have said they will stay closed today due to the fire.

Longridge High School in Preston Road and St Cecilia's RC High School in Chapel Hill have both confirmed they will not open today.

Shay Lane is open to traffic this morning and other businesses within the industrial estate are reported to be operating as usual but there is expected to be some disruption.

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses posted on social media at 11.20pm saying: "We can confirm that Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service are currently at the scene of a fire at our office and packing site on Shay Lane in Longridge. We will update further as we know more."

A fire service spokesperson added: “At 9.33pm, ten fire engines from Longridge, Preston, Fulwood, Bamber Bridge, Penwortham, Chorley, Hyndburn, Blackburn, and Wesham, together with two aerial ladder platforms, one stinger appliance, a drone unit, a high-volume pump, and a command unit, attended a commercial building fire on Preston Road, Longridge.

"The incident involved a commercial building approximately 80x60m in size. No casualties were reported.

"Firefighters used the aerial ladder platforms, three main jets, and a water bowser to extinguish the fire.”