A TEENAGER has been arrested following a major house fire in Keighley last night. 

Firefighters were called to the blaze in Highfield Lane just after 11pm after reports people were trapped inside. 

The occupants returned home as firefighters searched the blazing terraced property. 

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said this morning that an 18 year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of arson and was in custody. 

After initially fearing people may be still inside the three-storey house, additional fire crews from Silsden and Bradford were called to the scene. 

One witness said they saw three fire engines, an ambulance, and police outside the house searching for people inside. 

After a thorough search of the property, crews determined that nobody was inside and no injuries were reported. 

A stretch of Highfield Lane remained cordoned off this morning with a police guard and one fire crew still at the scene.

All three floors of the house are visibly damaged with a hole in the roof next to the fire-ravaged skylight.

Watch commander John MacDonald, from Keighley Fire Station, said the fire was thought to have started in a second floor bedroom. 

He said: “On arrival we weren’t sure whether there were people inside the house, so we mobilised another fire appliance from Silsden.

“It turned out they were out, and they returned to see the property on fire.

“There was substantial damage to the three-storey building, including the roof space of the property – quite a lot of damage to the bedroom.”

The rest of the building, which is divided into flats, suffered severe smoke damage.

It is understood the multi-occupancy property is owned by a housing association.

The cause of the blaze is unknown, and fire investigators are due to return to the scene this morning.

Police inquiries into the incident are ongoing.