Thursday 3 March in Keighley was an afternoon to remember. The main mill at the Dalton Mills complex was gutted by a huge and very fierce fire. Once one of the largest mills in Yorkshire, it was built in the mid 1800s. Textile production had stopped by the 1980s. It has been semi-derelict for years, though in recent times its owners had been restoring some of it. It was latterly used as a film set for a number of dramas, including Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey. (See HERE)
The iconic mill is on my route to Sainsbury's (!) and I've often thought I should drop by with my camera one day to photograph it, but I never did so. Too late now, though I did stop to take a few snaps of the fire damage.
At the height of the blaze, there were over 20 fire engines and 100 firefighters attending, but they were unable to save it and all the floors and roof have collapsed. One of the issues with our big former woollen mills is that, over the years, the floors and timbers became soaked through with lanolin and grease. When they burn, they burn really fiercely. Apparently, five teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of arson. There may have been some accelerant used too, as it sounds as though the flames spread really quickly. I wonder if they will even be able to save the facade; it looks like the stonework on the upper part is badly fire-damaged. Thankfully no-one was hurt, though some vehicles parked beside the mill went up in flames too. There are some press photos of the fire HERE (worth a look!)
