FIRE chiefs are warning car owners they are "putting lives at risk" by double parking after crews struggled to get to a fire in Burnley.

Two crews were sent to a fire in Saxon Road just before 2am yesterday but only one pump managed to get to the back of the house.

That was because as access to the front of the property was blocked as cars were doubled parked on the corner of the street.

The house was empty, but watch manager, Peter Ashworth said the access problems could have cost lives.

He said: "We would like to use this fire to remind residents that it is an offence to prevent an emergency vehicle gaining access.

"In this case it meant we could only use one appliance to tackle the fire but could not get to the front of the property.

"And although we found the house was empty if someone had been inside it could have cost their life.

"Basically if you can't get a council bin lorry through the gap then the same applies to a fire engine."

The fire took the crew of four firefighters 90 minutes to tackle and is being treated as arson.

"It seems as if the person who lives in the house only occasionally resides there and it looks as if this has been started deliberately.

"The kitchen and its contents were destroyed by fire and other parts of the house also suffered smoke and fire damage."