Disused Skelmersdale factory catches fire

May 21 2009 by Janine Yaqoob, Skelmersdale Advertiser

FOUR fire crews tackled a blaze at a disused factory in Digmoor.

The fire started at around 3pm yesterday afternoon (May 19) at the Old Chicken Factory on Digmoor Road.

A ventilation unit, six breathing apparatus and three jets were used to put out the fire, the cause of which has yet to be determined.

Peter Gore, of Bearncroft, Digmoor, witnessed the incident.

He said: “I was walking to the shop when I heard this big explosion and then this black ball of smoke came from the building.

“The smoke started to blow towards my house. It was really thick and made it became difficult to see and breathe.

“It was bad for about 10 minutes then it cleared. When the fire engines arrived it had started to die down and the worst of the smoke had gone.”

A police spokesperson commented: “Initially we were treating the fire as suspicious but the fire service now believe it could have been started accidently, by the electrics in the building. Investigations are still ongoing.”