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Bradford mill fire prompts evacuations | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Homes in part of Bradford have been evacuated after a fire broke out at a former mill in the city. | Homes in part of Bradford have been evacuated after a fire broke out at a former mill in the city. |
The blaze at Drummonds Mill, on Lumb Lane in Manningham, is being tackled by around 100 firefighters. | The blaze at Drummonds Mill, on Lumb Lane in Manningham, is being tackled by around 100 firefighters. |
It began before 11:30 GMT in the basement of the four-storey building which is currently used for storage. | It began before 11:30 GMT in the basement of the four-storey building which is currently used for storage. |
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said the evacuations were a precautionary measure due to high levels of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. | West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said the evacuations were a precautionary measure due to high levels of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. |
People were removed from around 100 homes in Lumb Lane, Manningham Lane and Grosvenor Road and were taken to the Richard Dunn Sports Centre. | People were removed from around 100 homes in Lumb Lane, Manningham Lane and Grosvenor Road and were taken to the Richard Dunn Sports Centre. |
Staff at the centre said around 28 people remained there and they were not expecting anymore people. | |
Nayim Sparky, who lives opposite the mill, said: "Pieces of debris were falling from the sky and the thick, black fog in the air was hurting my throat. | |
"The whole street just started panicking. Fire crews were just rushing everyone out. It was crazy." | |
Mr Sparky said those evacuated had not been told when it would be safe to return home. | |
The fire service urged people in Manningham, about a mile north of the city centre, to keep their doors and windows closed. | |
Acting chief fire officer Dave Walton said conditions were extremely difficult: "It is tremendously hot in there so crews are working hard to get to the fire. | Acting chief fire officer Dave Walton said conditions were extremely difficult: "It is tremendously hot in there so crews are working hard to get to the fire. |
"It is very thick smoke and intensely hot and very difficult to get to the fire to get water on to it. | "It is very thick smoke and intensely hot and very difficult to get to the fire to get water on to it. |
"Because of how hard the crews are working in the basement, we are having to recycle them very, very quickly. | "Because of how hard the crews are working in the basement, we are having to recycle them very, very quickly. |
"They are working in 20-minute sections with the breathing apparatus and then they need relieving by another crew." | "They are working in 20-minute sections with the breathing apparatus and then they need relieving by another crew." |
Mr Walton said it was too early to identify what had caused the blaze. | Mr Walton said it was too early to identify what had caused the blaze. |
BBC Look North's Heidi Tomlinson said a concrete ceiling in the basement was "intensifying" the heat, making it difficult for firefighters to tackle the source of the fire. | |
The fire service said the flames spread from the basement to parts of the roof and the priority was to prevent them reaching neighbouring buildings. | The fire service said the flames spread from the basement to parts of the roof and the priority was to prevent them reaching neighbouring buildings. |
Dan Lane, who works in the centre of Bradford, told the BBC it was one of the largest blazes he has seen in the city. | |
"There is a huge orange glow and massive plume of black cloud right across the centre of Bradford. It is hard to describe just how enormous it is," he said. |