Bradford mill fire: Cause of Drummonds blaze 'unknown'

The mill had to be demolished after it partially collapsed

Investigators have been unable to establish the cause of a blaze which destroyed a mill in Bradford.

Drummonds Mill in Manningham was ravaged by fire on Thursday and the building had to be demolished after it partially collapsed.

At its height, more than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze which started in the basement.

Crews are still at Lumb Lane making the site safe and the road will remain closed until Wednesday.

Due to the nature of the demolition process, fire investigators have been unable to ascertain how the fire started, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said.

Investigators have been unable to establish the cause of the blaze

Martin Speed, district commander for Bradford, said: "The demolition process is a very intricate one which must be taken step by step.

"At this moment in time the two gable ends of the mill are still standing but could collapse so it's essential that the area remains cordoned."

Nearby homes had to be evacuated after the building caught fire at 11:30 GMT.

People were removed from about 100 properties in Lumb Lane, Manningham Lane and Grosvenor Road.

• Drummonds opened in 1861 and was once at the heart of the textile trade, famous for its suit material

• It became a Grade II listed building in 1979

• The mill closed in 2002, unable to compete with cheaper foreign operations

• Plans were submitted in 2012 to develop the mill into flats and businesses