Large fire at derelict building

Firefighters spent several hours battling a huge blaze at a derelict building believed to have been started deliberately.
Fire serviceFire service
Fire service

Crews fought the flames at what is thought to be a former takeaway on Poolstock Lane in an operation lasting around four hours on Thursday night.

They found the fire had started on the ground floor but then spread onto the upper level and into the roof when they were called at around 9pm.

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Working in hazardous conditions with poor visibility and unsafe flooring crews in breathing apparatus fought their way through the building extinguishing the fires.

The first floor was so dangerous underfoot that an aerial platform was used to strip back the roof and fight the flames from above.

Fortunately the building was a detached building with no other properties near it.

The fire is being treated as suspicious and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) attended the scene last night.

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Watch manager Mick Callan from Wigan fire station said: “The crews were working in very tough conditions. It was difficult to see and very hot.

“They were trying to extinguish the flames as they went but had to make their way through the building very slowly and cautiously because of the dangerous conditions. Parts of the floor were missing on the first floor.”

After putting out the blaze the crews ventilated the building as much as they could.

Crews from Wigan, Hindley and Leigh fire stations, along with the aerial platform from Leigh, attended the incident.

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