An investigation is under way into the cause of a fire at a former old people’s home in Mill Hill Blackburn earlier this evening.

Three fire engines from Blackburn and Darwen fire stations and police officers attended a suspected arson attack in a derelict property on Shorrock Lane after smoke was seen pouring from the building and children were reported as being inside shortly before 7pm.

Firefighters smashed their way through ground floor doors and wearing breathing apparatus searched the premises and extinguished the blaze.

Watch manager Rob Birtwistle said: “We received a report that children had been seen on the first floor of the derelict building and had lit a fire.

“When we arrived we smashed down two first floor doors and officers in breathing apparatus search the building but no-one was still inside.

“It appears the fire on the first floor, where the children had been seen by the witness who made the original call, had been deliberately lit with tyre placed on it causing a great deal of smoke.

“An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.”

Witnesses at the scene said that some young people had been seen leaping from the end of the building and running away when the police and fire service arrived.

It is understood the former old people’s home has been empty for around 10 years.