DETECTIVES are investigating a fierce blaze which ripped through the storage section of a Bury housebuilding company.

At its height, the fire threatened a nearby carpet manufacturers although battling crews succeeded in stopping it spreading.

However, the late-night fire destroyed almost 70 per cent of the building at the site of Kiely Developments in Hudcar Lane.

Fire chiefs say the cause was suspicious and arson has not been ruled out. Bury CID is investigating.

A fire spokesman said: "When we arrived, the whole storage section was well alight. We managed to get the fire under control within an hour. We contained it to the storage area and stopped it spreading to the nearby carpet business."

The damaged building contained a quantity of building materials and other gear.

After the blaze officers get a watch on the site for several hours.

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