Keighley fish restaurant badly damaged in blaze drama (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Keighley fish restaurant badly damaged in blaze drama

7:30am Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Keighley By Marc Meneaud

Firefighters tackle the blaze at the fish and chip restaurant in Lawkholme Lane, Keighley

A Keighley fish and chip restaurant was badly damaged during a blaze thought to have been started in the frying range.

Firefighters from Keighley, Bingley, Shipley, Silsden and Bradford were called to Wilsons Fish Restaurant in Lawkholme Lane at 4.40pm yesterday.

A crowd of onlookers gathered to watch as fire crews battled to stop the blaze spreading to the adjoining Volunteers pub.

Flames were seen leaping out of the roof and thick smoke billowed from the first floor windows and across the car parks of nearby supermarkets Asda and Sainsbury’s.

Five fire engines, plus an aerial appliance from Bradford, attended. Firefighters worked into the night damping down the building and were seen removing part of the building’s smouldering roof.

A West Yorkshire Fire Service spokesman said the fire started in the frying range on the ground floor and spread through the flue to the upper floor. He said almost half the premises – known locally as Brooks’s – was engulfed by the blaze.

Police closed a stretch of Lawkholme Lane for several hours during the incident. Diverted traffic queued along Alice Street during the busiest part of the rush hour causing tailbacks along Lawkholme Lane.

Staff from the restaurant were among the onlookers but were too upset to comment. Wasim Iqbal, of Uttley, was working in the area and attended the scene after receiving a phone call from a friend. He said: “This fish and chip shop is a bit of an institution. Ask anybody in Keighley and they will know where Brooks’s is. There are not many places left for fish and chips now in Keighley. It is a real shock.”

Another onlooker Justin Taylor, who lives in Lawkholme Lane, said: “I came out of the house as the fire engine was coming up the road. It was lucky it didn’t take the Volunteers with it as well. I feel very sorry for the owners and hope they get it up and running again quickly.”

Joe Miller, who works in H Brook DIY opposite the fish and chip restaurant, said: “I go there for my dinner sometimes. It is tragic what has happened, especially if the staff are out of a job. I feel for them.”

Staff and six children at 1st Safari day nursery, in Back Cavendish Street, were evacuated at 5pm. Nursery nurse Kelly Warne said there was never any danger to the children and the evacuation had been standard procedure. She added: “We saw smoke at 4.45pm and thought it was mist at first. There was a strong smell of smoke but not enough to affect the nursery.”

She said parents were already arriving to pick up their children as normal by the time the nursery was evacuated.