Up to 70 firefighters and eight engines called to church, now an art centre, in early hours

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Investigators are examining how Blackburn’s oldest church was set ablaze in the early hours.

At 5.22am on Wednesday, firefighters were called to St John’s church, which in recent years has been turned into the Bureau Centre for the Arts. No one was hurt, Lancashire fire and rescue service said.

Eight fire engines and two aerial appliances tackled the blaze in Victoria Street in the town centre. Up to 70 firefighters were called to the scene.

Chris Archer, the watch manager and operations commander for the incident, told the Lancashire Telegraph: “We were called after reports of a building fire with smoke coming from the tower.

“Entry was difficult due to the building being very secure and having large doors. The fire broke through the roof and I requested a further four pumps to add to the four already here.

“I asked for support from our partners – the local authority and the police. A second aerial ladder platform from Blackpool was also called in. We have got the fire surrounded.”

Construction of the Church of St John the Evangelist began in 1787, and it is believed to have been modelled on the Chiesa di San Marcuola in Venice.

The church closed its doors to worshippers in 1975, when the local

authority took over the building.

In 2014, it was reborn as the Bureau, a community arts space, and grew to include a cafe, gallery, cinema and community use room, studios, community darkroom and a main space suitable for theatre, workshops, gatherings and events.