YOUNGSTERS who started a fire at a former printers in Burnley could have been trapped and killed, fire chiefs say.

Fire crews were at Lords Printers, in Trafalgar Street, for three hours, during which time other firefighters had to be brought from outside the area to deal with an incident at Burnley General Hospital where a bed was set on fire by a patient.

Station Officer Steve Cope said: "The people who broke in and started the fire put themselves in a very dangerous situation.

"Sooner or later youngsters will be trapped and killed in incidents like this.

"They are also tying up fire appliances which might be needed at emergencies elsewhere.''

Firefighters arrived at the empty building to find a small fire in a former store room.

Crackling was heard and investigation revealed a far more serious incident in the attic, where five tons of paper was burning.

The building has been the repeated target of vandals, who break in through boarded-up windows.

There have been other fires, including one at the end of September when stationery in a stock room was set alight.

Little damage was caused in the hospital incident.

Firefighters were called back to the hospital again yesterday to burning toast in a day room in the maternity unit. Mr Cope said: "Staff have put toasters in the day room for the use of patients and burning toast set off a smoke detector.''

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.