SENIOR councillors have called for a former old people’s home to be knocked down as an investigation continues into the cause of a fire at the derelict three-storey building.

Mill Hill councillor Jim Smith and borough Tory group leader, Cllr John Slater, have joined with Blackburn Fire Station manager Julian Williams in calling for the owners to secure the premises.

They spoke out after three fire crews and police officers attended a fire in the vacant Laneside home on Shorrock Lane at 7.30pm on Thursday.

They were called after smoke was seen pouring from the building and children were reported inside.

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

It is the latest suspected arson at the 60-room property, which has been empty for 10 years, with similar incidents in 2011 and 2013.

Watch manager Rob Birtwistle said: “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.”

In recent years the former assisted living premises for the elderly has been plague by minor arsons, smashed doors and windows, graffiti and other vandalism damage.

Mr Williams said: “The owners need to secure this building properly before someone sets a small fire and it becomes serious with people injured or killed.”

Cllr Smith said: “The council is trying to get hold of the owners so they fulfil their legal duty to make the premisses secure.

“Personally I think it should be demolished and a block of flats built there.”

“Someone could get seriously hurt or killed there and it is making life a misery for local residents

Cllr Slater said: “This eyesore building needs making secure and, preferably, knocking down.” Sunny Ghaie, from owners Oriental Developments Ltd in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, said: “We are dispatching people down to secure the site urgently.”

“We are seeking to redevelop this site as a matter of urgently but have run into legal complexities.”

Police said investigations into the cause of the fire were continuing.