02 May 2012
A blaze took hold on an industrial warehouse in Staffordshire last week.
Fire crews battled the flames for five hours on Sunday afternoon at the unused building on Caroline Street, Longton, reported the Sentinel.
Several roads were blocked by police while firefighters attempted to extinguish the fire and part of an adjacent rail track was put out of service.
Inspector Kevin Treacy, from Staffordshire Police, told the newspaper: “Due to the size of the fire, a number of roads were closed for safety reasons.
“The Stoke to Derby railway line was also closed for some time, but later reopened.”
All commercial buildings in England and Wales have to undergo a fire risk assessment according to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
In the absence of a satisfactory assessment, the person responsible for the building could receive a fine or prison sentence of a maximum 24 months.
The source of the fire is set to be investigated by the fire service and Staffordshire Police forensic officers.
Copyright Press Association 2012