UPDATE: Fire causes £20,000 of damage at terraced house in Nelson

The blaze at a terraced house in Pine Street, was tackled by a crew from Burnley and two crews from Nelson.

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Firefighters said no-one was in the property when they arrived at the incidentaround 6.45am.

Firefighter Ian Donohoe, of Nelson Fire Station, said the blaze could have spread to neighbouring properties if it had gone on much longer.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus used three hose reel jets to bring the blaze under control.

The property is believed to be owned by someone living in Irlam, Greater Manchester, who had rented out the house to tenants.

It received fire and smoke damage in the blaze.

Crews stayed on the scene for around one-and-a-half hours.

Crew manager David Harris, who attended the fire, said the cause of the blaze, which started in the front room, was still under investigation.

He also said the blaze wasn’t being treated as suspicious at this stage and police had not been called out to it.

Mr Harris said: “When we got there the ground floor was well alight.

“It had been going for a while so the flames weren’t that high because it had burnt down.

“There were reports initially that people were in the house so we sent firefighters with breathing apparatus in to search but no persons were accounted for.

“The neighbouring properties had slight smoke that had come through so we cleared that with a fan.”