More than 10 tonnes of sawdust held in a vast silo went up in flames last night sending plumes of black smoke over Kirkby.
The blaze broke out just weeks after the factory fully reopened following a devastating fire in June.
The Health and Safety Executive, which has been called to 22 serious incidents over the past decade, was today poised to launch an investigation as campaigners insisted “enough …

A large fire which severely damaged a former church in Preston is being treated as suspicious, Lancashire Fire Service has said.
The blaze at the Old Spiritual Church on Moor Lane began at about 23:00 GMT on Monday.
Seven fire engines and about 40 firefighters tackled the fire.
Several nearby homes have been evacuated and Moor Lane has been closed in both directions between Fylde Street and the A6.
Tony Crook, incident commander for Lancashire Fire Service, said: “The firefighters …

FIREFIGHTERS were called out after a blaze broke out in the canteen of a warehouse in Haydockon Monday 16th January.
It happened just before 2.50pm at the property on Kilbuck Lane.
The canteen and its contents were damaged by fire. The warehouse and its contents, including supermarket fridges and shelving, were damaged by smoke.
Two fire appliances attended and were there for around two and a half hours.

A Chinese restaurant in London may be forced to temporarily close after a fire broke out in the premises.
Fire crews were called to Royal China restaurant in Queensway, Westminster, at about 10.45am on 16th January after smoke was seen billowing from the multi-storey building.
Firefighters spent around an hour battling the blaze, which caused damage to the restaurant’s external ducting. There were no reported injuries and the cause of the blaze is currently being investigated.
A fire risk assessment …

A total of 130 residents were evacuated from a north-west London tower block after a fire broke out in the premises.
Fire crews were called to the 22-floor building in Swiss Cottage at around 10pm on Monday (16th January) to tackle the blaze, which partially gutted the 17th floor.
It took firefighters more than three hours to tackle the blaze, in which no-one was injured.
Station manager Rod Horton said: “This was a big block of flats and at this …

The proposed creation of single police and fire services in Scotland would put them at the “heart of communities”, according to justice secretary Kenny MacAskill.
Mr MacAskill is currently in the Borders to launch the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill, which will merge Scotland’s eight police forces and eight fire safety services into two single national bodies.
Under the plans, a local policing commander and senior fire officer would be assigned for each local authority area and have a …

Firefighters in Northern Ireland are battling to prevent pollution generated from a tyre yard blaze running into a nearby river.
Fire safety crews were called to the facility in Mayobridge, County Down, at around 9.50pm on Sunday (15th January). Thousands of tyres were destroyed in the blaze, which is believed to have been caused by arsonists.
Group commander John Allen revealed that officers were also required to prevent pollution from finding its way into a river nearby the blaze.
“We …

A fast food restaurant in Salford has been fined for several breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Delicious Foods Ltd of Liverpool Road, Eccles pleaded guilty to nine offences at Manchester City Magistrates Court on 6th January and was ordered to pay a total of £13,000 in costs and fines.
The takeaway did not have a working fire alarm, warning system or clear escape routes, while it also failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire …

A care home in west London has been damaged after a suspected electrical fire broke out on the site.
Around 20 firefighters were called to Malvern Court in Shepherds Bush at 2.30pm on January 6th, reports Fulham Chronicle.
Crews evacuated the care home before taking just under an hour to put out the blaze. One woman, who lived in a second-floor flat, was treated for smoke inhalation.
Tom Buckley, care home manager, told the news provider: “It is a relief …

The owner of a hairdressers in Buckinghamshire has revealed he was devastated after fire tore through the building earlier this month.
Fire crews were called to Haringtons Hairdressers in Marlow on January 4th to tackle the blaze, which is believed to have started in a faulty electrical junction box by the entrance to the shop.
The entire ground floor suffered smoke damage, while parts of the second floor offices were also hit by the effects of the fire and smoke.
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