Fire at Accrington house hours after drugs raid (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Fire at Accrington house hours after drugs raid

9:06pm Friday 17th July 2009 in

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A HOUSE was targeted in a suspected arson attack this morning within hours of police finding drugs on the property.

According to officers, the terraced house in Washington Street, Accrington, is thought to have been set alight at 5am, just over 14 hours after police served a drugs warrant on it.

At 1.20pm the previous day, officers discovered 120 cann-abis plants at the house but say no one was in when the drugs raid took place.

The property was then broken into in the early hours, before a fire was started upstairs.

Police say they are seeking the occupier of the propety to discuss the cannabis find.

They said the fire was not a direct result of the drugs raid.

DS Mark Vaughton at Accrington CID said: “The fire has not been started because there’s been a drugs warrant, or to cover up the plants, but there is a possibility that it is linked.

“At this moment it is unclear how the fire was started but it is being treated as suspicious.

"We are also very keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed anything.”

The house, which officers say was recently occupied by a tenant, was empty at the time of the fire which began after the front door was forced open.

One neighbour said: “I heard a loud bang in the middle of the night and thought my car was being broken into.

“I woke up my husband and when we looked out of the window, we could see the fire, the whole upstairs of the house was lit up.

“I called the fire brigade and by the time I got outside the whole window frame had fallen out into the street.”

The fire caused extensive damage to the bedroom and the rest of the house was smoke damaged.

Another neighbour said: “The police woke me up and told me to be prepared in case we needed to be evacuated.”

Police said a quick response from the fire service prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining properties.

Anyone with information should call Accrington CID on 01254 353 741 or Crime-stoppers on 0800 555111.