TWO firemen were injured tackling a blaze which gutted a Bacup footwear factory and caused thousands of pounds-worth of damage. Fire pumps from around East Lancashire attended the blaze at the E.W. Sharp, footwear component manufacturers, at Waterside Mill in Burnley Road.

The firemen were taken to hospital but allowed home after treatment. The company planned to salvage some of the machinery, but stock upstairs was destroyed.

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