THE second derelict pub has gone up in flames in the space of two weeks in Bradford.

A fire broke out at the former Blue Pig Inn in Fagley Road, Fagley, on Thursday night.

This followed a fire at the Gallopers public house just off A650 Wakefield Road in Bowling on May 24, which was due for demolition and will now be pulled down shortly.

The fire in Fagley came just days after the old Fagley Youth and Community Centre, less than 300 yards down the road from the Blue Pig, was also set on fire.

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Crews from Bradford and Stanningley fire stations were called to the Blue Pig at 8.15pm on Thursday, and had to use two hose reels, a water jet, and breathing apparatus to tackle the blaze.

Around 50 per cent of the first floor of the old pub was on fire, and high-powered fans had to be used to clear smoke from the building.

The roof of the pub was destroyed by fire, with the blackened, charred wood trusses exposed to the elements.

The first floor windows had also been blown out by the fire, while the rest of the dilapidated, derelict building is boarded up and falling into disrepair.

The pub has been closed for a number of years.

This blaze comes just two weeks after another old pub in another part of the city was ravaged by fire.

Fire crews were called to the Gallopers on a hot Friday afternoon on May 24.

The A650 Wakefield Road had to be closed in both directions as crews fought the blaze, and huge plumes of smoke blew from the building.

The pub had been recently granted permission for demolition, and will be razed to the ground on Monday.

Thomas Crompton, owner of the eponymous demolition firm which will be carrying out the work, said: “The pub had gas mains to it, so we could not pull it down until the gas was disconnected.

“We have had lengthy discussions with the electric board - who disconnected it straight away - and the gas board, to get the gas off so we can demolish it.

“We have had to wait and try to persuade them to let us jump the queue, and on Thursday we received notice the gas had been disconnected.

“Now we’ve had confirmation of that, we will begin demolition on Monday.”

Witnesses to the Gallopers fire said it had been started by youths, and youths were again being blamed for a fire near the Blue Pig in Fagley earlier this week, when the nearby Youth and Community Centre was destroyed in a blaze, but nothing suggests the fires are linked.