Eight fire crews worked to contain a fire above a row of shops in Leyland town centre overnight.

Passers-by led occupants of the flats above the row of shops to safety just after midnight on Thursday (20 May).

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service sent crews to a commercial property in Towngate, Leyland.

The multiple fire engines, a stinger and an aerial ladder platform attended the incident at 12:22am, as they describe a shop front involved as ‘well alight’.

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The fire service used two breathing apparatus, four hose reels and one main jet to extinguish the fire as they remained at the property until early hours of the morning.

All casualties were assessed at the scene, with one being conveyed to hospital.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service posted the following update regarding the fire at 4:15am this morning. Group manager Tom Cookson said: “In total there are a row of five shops with five flats above, prior to the arrival of the Fire Service passers by have entered three of the occupied flats and led the occupants to safety.”

While the cause of the fire is still unknown, firefighter Cookson says the service are liaising with partners from Lancashire Constabulary to investigate further.

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