Fire at new build student apartments in Lancaster "still under investigation"

Friday, 14 February 2025 09:36

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

The fire at the new build student apartments on Saturday

An investigation is continuing into a fire at new build student apartments in Lancaster.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire on Saturday, February 8 is "still under investigation" and Lancashire Police said there is "no criminal investigation".

Up to 388 student flats are being built on the site.

The development, known as The Sailworks, is being constructed on land near Bulk Road, Parliament Street and Caton Road.

The fire service said this week there were no plans for fire crews to return to the site.

Work on the apartments has resumed following the blaze on Saturday afternoon.

The fire broke out at the construction site of the smaller of two blocks of flats being built.

Flames and huge clouds of black smoke could be seen coming from the roof of the six-storey building, for miles around, with many onlookers rushing to the scene having seen the billowing smoke from Lancaster city centre.

Several fire engines were called to the site just before 1pm and firefighters extinguished the fire.

Police and ambulance were also at the scene. Nobody was hurt.

Police closed Parliament Street for several hours following the incident.

A Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "At 12:56 on the 8th February 2025, six fire engines and an aerial ladder platform attended a commercial building fire on Caton Road/Parliament Street, Lancaster.

"Firefighters utilised the aerial ladder platform and used three hose reel jets to extinguish the fire.

"By 3pm, this incident has been reduced to three fire engines and the command support unit. Firefighters are monitoring and damping down remaining hotspots."

* An 11-year-old boy who was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer at the police cordon near the scene of the fire on Saturday has not been charged, and been referred to the youth offender team, said Lancashire Police.