Fire crews tackled a fire at an old mill in Royton last night (Tuesday 26 April). Just after 8pm, fire crews attended the scene at Thornham Mill on Oozewood Road.
Local resident Chris Lees, 29, said his fiancée's mother could see the smoke coming from the mill from her house on Oozewood Road, so she called the fire brigade. Firefighters then arrived to put out the fire and cordoned off the area for safety.
READ MORE: Plans unveiled to demolish 'eyesore' Victorian mill and replace it with five-storey apartment block
He told the M.E.N.: " I live just round the corner from Thornham Mill. I had a call from my fiancée's mum and they said they had just rung the fire brigade because the mill is on fire.
"It was literally in front of her house. I could see the smoke even from my house., and I could see a tiny bit of flames coming from the top of the mill.
"So we went over to the mill and my fiancee’s mum was outside, chatting to a woman, who was saying that it might have been three or four kids who set the mill on fire.
"I have seen teenagers and kids hanging around the mill and trying to get in. Sometimes, the police are called when that happens.
"The fire brigade stayed on the scene - and they got it under control quite quickly. The whole area is back to normal now and the mill gates have been locked up."
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “At around 8:15pm last night, (Tuesday 26 April), three fire engines from Rochdale, Chadderton and Oldham fire stations were called to a fire on Oozewood Road, Royton, involving a single-storey section of a derelict mill.
“Firefighters used two hose reels, breaking in gear and a short extension ladder to tackle the fire, and were in attendance for around three quarters of an hour.”
Thornham Mill was built in 1885 by Thornham Spinning Co. Ltd and was extended in 1960, but the majority of it has been empty since 1962 when the company went into voluntary liquidation. Plans have been submitted to convert the derelict Victorian mill into a five-storey apartment block.
The applicant, Blackmores D Ltd, wants to build 72 flats in place of the mill on Oozewood Road. This has divided neighbouring residents, as several residents have raised concerns about overlooking and the impact on privacy from the five-storey development, as well as whether there are enough parking spaces included.
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