NEIGHBOURS were evacuated after a immersion heater caught fire in a vacant Rawtenstall house this morning.
Three fire crews, two from Rawtenstall and one from Haslingden, attended the scene on Schofield Road after a burning smell was reported at 5.41am.
A neighbour described hearing crackling and gushing water at the second-floor terraced property, a converted loft, which was heavily smoke-logged.
Severe fire damage was caused to the immersion cupboard and tank, along with severe smoke damage to a second floor bedroom and slight smoke damage to the first floor.
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