NEARLY 50 firefighters tackled a blaze in a mill unit yesterday which threatened to engulf the whole building in flames.

The fire began in Pendle Auto Breakers, a car dismantling firm, in a single-storey unit at Walverden Mill, Brunswick Street, Nelson, at 3pm.

Nelson Fire Station Officer Nick Isherwood said: "When we arrived at the unit the fire was already well alight and it was not long before the fire had broken through the roof of the building.

"The unit is part of a mill complex and we were concerned that the high winds might have fanned the flames to the rest of the building, but we managed to contain it." In the mill were several flammable cylinders which had to be cooled to avoid an explosion. Manhattan Showers own the three-storey unit next to Pendle Auto Breakers. Partner Graham Starkey said: "We had to evacuate workers away from the wall next to the unit that was on fire and we had firefighters standing-by with a hosepipe in case the fire spread.

"We are waiting for structural engineers to assess if there has been any damage to the fabric building because the heat from the fire was intense, but at the moment it appears the damage is superficial."

Seven fire appliances attended from Nelson, Colne, Burnley and Accrington and the damage control unit was called in to check on any environmental implications.

Mr Isherwood said: "The owner of the unit had been using a forklift truck to move some parts and a petrol tank sparked and caught fire and the fire escalated. No-one was injured and everyone who had to be evacuated was out of the building when we arrived."

Firefighters attended until 9pm last night and returned today to check over the scene of the fire.

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