Plans to rebuild vape factory gutted by fire

The fire broke out at the former Vape Dinner Lady unit

Plans to rebuild a vape factory that was gutted by a large fire have been submitted to a council.

The factory on the Shadsworth Industrial Estate in Blackburn, Lancashire, was destroyed by a blaze in September.

More than 50 firefighters spent three days trying to control the blaze at the unit previously occupied by the Vape Dinner Lady.

Acsini Investments Ltd is now seeking to rebuild the unit to "improve the economic output of the area".

'Faulty light caused fire'

The fire, which broke out on 11 September, was caused by a faulty light within the warehouse off Johnson Way.

A number of roads were closed in the area and people had been encouraged to close windows and doors.

A planning application has now been submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council to replace the severely damaged industrial unit.

Blackburn-based property company Acsini Investments Ltd, run by former Accrol bosses Jawid and Majid Hussain, were seeking to "approve a rebuild and redesign of the recent fire damaged structure", the application said.

The site is currently vacant, containing the remnants of the building and its service yard.

Plans are proposing to repurpose the land for one industrial unit as well as a new extended area - into what was a previously oversized service yard.

Acsini Investments Ltd said the appearance of the building would be "reminiscent of that of the surrounding units as well as the original building but with a more contemporary finish".

The application said: “This development will help to reinforce and improve the economic output of the local plan designated primary employment area.

“The design of this unit not only will result in the development of a fire damaged area of the Shadsworth industrial estate, it will also provide a new contemporary industrial unit that will improve the aesthetics of the surrounding area.”