FIREFIGHTERS in Burnley spent 15 minutes bringing a fire under control yesterday at an empty house in Elmwood Street.

They were called out at 12.50pm after reports of flames coming out of the windows.

Station officer Neil Ashworth said: "When we got there it was well alight on the ground and first floor. It took about 15 minutes to bring it under control and we were there another 45 minutes damping down.

"It is being treated as suspicious as there were several seats of fire, two downstairs and one upstairs. The property has apparently been unoccupied for several months but there was evidence that someone had been using the house."

The ground floor living room and a bedroom were destroyed by fire and there was smoke damage to the rest of the house.