Roof blaze hits Colne 'cannabis' house (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Roof blaze hits Colne 'cannabis' house

1:26pm Monday 26th November 2012 in News By Jessica Cree, Education reporter

A LARGE fire at a terraced house is thought to have started because it was used as a cannabis factory.

The blaze, which wrecked the roof, also spread to the two neighbouring properties which had to be evacuated.

Firefighters were called to William Street, Colne, at around 2pm yesterday after reports that the blaze had broken out in one of the bedrooms.

Witnesses said the smoke was so intense that it was impossible to see down the street.

Inspector Mick Johnson said: “There is a police investigation ongoing and one of the lines of inquiry is that the house was being used as acannabis farm.

“It does not appear to be suspicious, we are not treating it as an arson, but it would appear that the house was being used for the cultivation of the plant.”

Neighbour Mark Davison, 39, whose home was not affected, said: “The fire just erupted out of the roof. It was a very fierce fire.

“I live across the road and I could see the smoke so I went over and was banging on doors.

“People could have been asleep in there and it is the smoke that kills.

“I am just glad it was not any worse than it was.”

Richard Hartley, who lives next door to the house where the blaze started, said it was lucky he was not in at the time.

The 45-year-old father-of-five said: “I was out visiting my daughter and the first I knew about it was when Mark knocked on the door telling me that he thought my house was on fire. We don’t know what the damage is yet, but part of my roof is gone so I won’t be able to go in for a while.

“There will be water damage too, so we will just have to wait and see.”

Kevin Wingfield, 45, who lives in the other neighbouring property. said he would have to find somewhere else to stay.

He said: “I was out with my dog Bongo and came home and saw all the smoke.

“It’s really upsetting but it is fortunate I was out at the time.”

Four fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were at the scene for several hours making sure the blaze was out.

Anybody with information about the fire is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.