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Blaze that gutted church in Lower Broughton 'suspicious' | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A huge fire that destroyed a Grade II-listed church may have been started deliberately. | |
The fire at the Church of the Ascension in Lower Broughton began at about 23:00 GMT on Sunday. | |
Greater Manchester Police confirmed it was now treating the blaze as suspicious. | |
Firefighters confirmed the top part of the two gable ends of the building, founded in 1869, will be dismantled on Tuesday to make it safe. | |
Nearby residents were urged to keep their windows and doors shut while the blaze, which has since been brought under control, was at its height. | |
Fire investigators believe the blaze caused gas pipes inside the church to melt, before a gas leak ignited, causing further damage. | Fire investigators believe the blaze caused gas pipes inside the church to melt, before a gas leak ignited, causing further damage. |
Fire station manager Dave Baxter said: "We've got a gas leak that has ignited inside the church. National Grid are here trying to isolate the gas externally from the property, It's a big old solid structure. | |
"We're putting water up from the outside in and we've got a hydraulic platform so we can assess the scene inside." | "We're putting water up from the outside in and we've got a hydraulic platform so we can assess the scene inside." |
Liam Cole, 17, saw the flames from his home nearby. | |
"Initially it wasn't that bad but all of a sudden it was engulfed in flames and the roof started falling through," he said. | |
"There was a lot of ash and smoke from the roof going on the people standing very close." |