Blaze mill set to be demolished

9:31am Friday 10th November 2006

A mill damaged by arsonists will be demolished as soon as possible, say its Council landlords.

Around 50 firefighters tackled the blaze at its peak after it broke out at Perseverance Mills on Carnegie Drive, Shipley, wrecking part of its roof.

Initial investigations by the fire service suggest arsonists targeted the building, which once homed seven businesses but now stands empty.

Artisan Windows was the final business to move out last week, making way for regeneration projects in the Aire Valley Masterplan.

In April this year Bradford Council bought the mill from its private landlords to help develop the masterplan, which is designed to improve Shipley and the Airedale economy., The plan includes tearing down the mills close to Shipley's railway station and building a new car park.

A council spokesman said workers were making sure the damaged mill was made secure after the fire and that a tendering process to get the premises demolished had already been started.

"The process of getting it demolished was already underway before the fire," he said. "It hasn't been brought forward because of it.

"We hope to get it demolished as soon as possible."

One businessman, who did not want to be named, said he was worried arsonists would strike again.

"It's becoming a regular problem and I'm worried it could be me next. Because other businesses have moved out security is not what it should be. My livelihood could be at risk," he said.

In July firefighters were called to another blaze in the three-storey mill which took them several hours to put out after about a third of the building was torched.

On Wednesday, Shipley firefighters were first on the scene but had to call for back-up from Bingley, Idle, Fairweather Green, Stanningley and Bradford.

The alarm was raised at 9.33pm and crews were still dampening down the building into the early hours of Thursday.

Firefighters are treating the incident as arson because there seemed to be forced signs of entry.

e-mail: kathie.griffiths@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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