40 vehicles destroyed in blaze at Hyndburn scrapyard (From Lancashire Telegraph)

40 vehicles destroyed in blaze at Hyndburn scrapyard

9:57am Thursday 19th January 2012 in Church By Catherine Pye, Reporter

FORTY vehicles were wrecked in a huge blaze at a scrap and storage yard in Church.

At its height, 25 firefighters were fighting the inferno at Copy Clough Caravans, off Dill Hall Lane.

Caravans, 4x4 vehicles, a crane and small articulated lorries at the site were destroyed by the fire.

It is thought the damage may amount up to £1million.

Brian Barnes, who has owned the business since the 1950s, said he was ‘devastated and bewildered’ by the extent of the damage.

He believes the fire, which broke out at around 3.45am yesterday, was started deliberately, although fire crews are still working with police to find the cause.

Emergency crews feared smoke would spread to the nearby M65 and chemicals on the site could become unstable.

They launched Operation Merlin, a joint effort by police and fire crews, to prepare an evacuation of nearby buildings.

Station manager Steve Morgan said: “When we first arrived the fire was fully developed and there was a great plume of black smoke.

Luckily this didn’t blow over the M65.

“We learned that there could be an unknown quantity of fuel and chemical cylinders, so we didn’t know what to expect.

“At 5.30am we discovered two acetylene gas cylinders and created a 100-metre no go hazard zone.

“During that time we fought the fire with two ground monitors and went back to check on the cylinder’s temperatures at 30 minute intervals.

“When we were happier with their state, we reduced the hazard zone and restarted offensive firefighting.”

The fire was fully extinguished by 8am, Mr Morgan said.

During the blaze, a mobile firestation was set up on the car park of nearby Express Gifts, and water was taken from the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

Mr Barnes said: “There were cars, trucks and caravans - almost everything has gone. At this stage all I know is that it’s cost a lot of money.

“My lad looks after the business now and told me about it. Now we’re trying to get some phone extension lines in so we can let people know.

“It’s obvious to me that someone’s done this, so the police just need to find who it is.

“Last year was a really bad year for us and this is the last thing we needed.”

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and the police said they had launched a joint investigation into the fire but last night the cause was still unknown.