Hundreds evacuated in mill fire

Sprinklers saved a Rochdale mill from going up in flames when a light-fitting started a fire while hundreds of workers were inside today (Friday 3 May).

The sprinkler system in Arrow Mill on Queensway, Castleton, which was installed to deal with just this kind of situation, activated and stopped the fire spreading before fire crews arrived to fully extinguish the fire.

The mill houses a number of different businesses and around 200 workers were evacuated while firefighters dealt with the incident.

Three fire engines from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) were sent shortly before 10.25am and crews were faced with a fire involving a light-fitting and pallets of paint on the ground floor of a five-storey mill, which measures approximately 100 metres by 50 metres.

Watch Manager Reg Haye, from Chadderton Fire Station, who was in charge of the incident, said: "Sprinklers activated and prevented the fire from spreading, which allowed fire crews to enter the building safely, surround the fire and put the fire out.

"It was caused by an accidental electrical fault on a florescent light-fitting which burst into flames and then dropped onto ten pallets of tinned paint.

"The ground floor was smoke-logged so we had to send six firefighters in breathing apparatus into the building to fight the fire using hose reels and a jet.

"The owner of the mill was pleased that the sprinklers worked and they proved to be invaluable."

Damage was confined to the light-fitting and pallets.