FORTY firefighters spent more than six hours tackling a blaze at a former cash and carry in a Blackburn town centre.

Last night the Blackburn, Accrington and Darwen fire crews battled 20ft flames to bring the fire in the former Stott’s cash and carry in Tontine Street, under control.

They were called around 11.30pm last night. It came days after crews tackled a separate blaze at the site.

Watch manager Dave Williams said a number of areas on the ground floor were set alight early Tuesday morning.

And police said Tontine Street, which is near to the Sir Charles Napier pub, and Richmond Hill was closed while firefighters carry out their investigations.

Watch manager Williams said: “The building is empty but is frequented by homeless people and drug users. Following the fire on Tuesday the crews discovered there was evidence of human habitation in the building.

“It was not safe for us to search the whole building but we went in as far as was safe.

“But nobody had been in the building at the time.

“It is possible people have started the fire to keep warm and it has got out of hand.

“But the fire is under investigation and we are treating it as suspicious.

“The fire was started on the ground floor and the first floor which then spread to the roof.

“We used the ariel ladder platform to bring the fire under control and, as we tackled the fire, cracks began to appear in the building.

“This was a very serious fire. It was lucky that no one was in the building and it was a massive team effort to get the work done.”

Building inspectors have been called to assess whether the building is safe.

An investigation is underway into the cause.