Howard Mill Carpets building gutted

The scene on St Mary's Gate viewed from Redcross Street

The Fire Brigade were called out at 10.55pm tonight (Saturday 11 August) to fight a raging blaze at the former Howard Mill Carpets building on St Mary's Gate.

Six appliances, two from Rochdale, two from Heywood and two from Littleborough attended and police closed off St Mary's Gate to traffic from the Townhead roundabout and Redcross Street.

The building is a four storey former carpet warehouse and there were concerns that people were sleeping rough inside. Firemen used breathing apparatus to conduct a thorough search of the building and a spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue has confirmed following the search that there was no one inside the building.

Howard Mill Carpets relocated from the Mill five years ago to 20 St Mary's Gate, which is between Seeleys Bathrooms and Nails and Things. They have had no connection with the mill for five years, since they sold the building. The building has been empty since then.

Though badly damaged, the building is believed to be still structurally sound, however the fire brigade will remain on the scene throughout the night.

The cause of the fire has yet to be established but comes soon after a number of blazes:

• On 20 July Dane Mill on Bridgefield Street in Rochdale was ablaze.
  
  
• On 14 June the Alexander Drew Mill on Mellor Street went up in flames.
  
  
• On 12 June Rochdale Fire Station Commander Dave Astley warned it is only a matter of time before someone is hurt, or even killed after the Fire Service attended a spate of fires that had been deliberately started at Coral Mill on Shaw Road.
  
  
• In the last week Commander Astley has repeated a similar message warning that yobs are putting lives at risk attacking derelict properties after more than 25 firefighters were called to deal with a row of homes in Wardleworth, earmarked for demolition, that had been set alight by arsonists - the call out was one of five to Nile Street in just two months.
  
  Also last week, fire crews from Rochdale and Littleborough were called to the old Carcraft garage on John Street after youths set fire to a pile of rubbish. 

Howard Mill Carpets relocated from the Mill five years ago to 20 St Mary's Gate, which is between Seeleys Bathrooms and Nails and Things. They have had no connection with the mill for five years, since they sold the building. The building has been empty since then.