Blackburn in Focus: Fire Safety, Risk and Compliance
Blackburn is a large town in Lancashire, set in the Blakewater valley between the West Pennine Moors and the Ribble Valley, with a long history as one of Britain's major centres of cotton weaving. Its industrial heritage has left a substantial legacy of mill buildings — many converted, some still in industrial use, some awaiting redevelopment — alongside a varied modern commercial and industrial base that includes manufacturing, logistics, retail and a significant public sector presence centred on the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Lancashire. The town has a diverse and substantial residential population, a strong community of mosques and faith institutions, and a borough that extends to include Darwen and the surrounding rural areas. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is the enforcing authority for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 across Blackburn with Darwen, with Blackburn fire station providing wholetime cover to the town and surrounding area.
For those who own, manage or occupy non-domestic premises in Blackburn, the FSO places a direct legal duty to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and to keep it under review. A major industrial fire on the Shadsworth Industrial Estate in March 2025 — one of the largest fire service responses to a commercial incident in Lancashire in recent years — illustrates the scale of event that industrial premises can produce and the specific fire safety lessons that flow from it.
Industrial Fire, Shadsworth Industrial Estate — March 2025
Just after midnight on Monday 31 March 2025, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire at a factory on the Shadsworth Industrial Estate on Sett End Road West in Blackburn. On arrival, crews found a well-developed fire involving polypropylene — a thermoplastic widely used in manufacturing and packaging — at one of the businesses on the estate. Ten fire engines, two aerial ladder platforms, a water tower, a firefighting robot, a high volume pump and a drone were deployed to tackle the blaze. Around fifty firefighters were on scene at the height of the incident. Explosions were heard from the site as the fire developed, and a large plume of smoke rose into the sky above the estate, clearly visible near the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital adjacent to the site. Lancashire Police assisted with road closures, with Haslingden Road from the M65 to the hospital reduced to one lane. Residents and businesses throughout the area were advised to keep their windows and doors closed. The fire was brought under control overnight and crews remained on scene throughout the following day to damp down hotspots. No injuries were reported.
Footage of the major fire at the Shadsworth Industrial Estate, Blackburn, 31 March 2025. Video: YouTube.
The fire safety lesson for industrial premises handling plastics and combustible materials Polypropylene and similar thermoplastics present a specific and well-documented fire risk: they ignite at relatively low temperatures, burn with high heat output, generate dense toxic smoke, and are difficult to extinguish completely because they can re-ignite as the material cools unevenly. The deployment of a firefighting robot to this incident — a specialist piece of equipment used where the fire environment makes it unsafe for crews to enter — reflects the intensity of the heat produced. Under the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002, responsible persons at premises where flammable or potentially explosive substances are stored or handled must identify and assess those substances specifically, as part of their fire risk assessment. That assessment must address what happens to those materials in a fire scenario: how they burn, what products of combustion they produce, how the fire could spread across the building, and whether the detection and suppression arrangements in place are adequate for the specific hazard rather than for a generic industrial premises. The public health advisory issued during this incident — residents across a wide area told to keep windows and doors shut — is a direct consequence of the smoke characteristics of the material involved, and underlines why a material-specific assessment matters.
Fire Safety Duties for Responsible Persons in Blackburn
Industrial and manufacturing premises. Industrial, manufacturing and warehouse premises across the Shadsworth, Whitebirk and other commercial estates carry FSO obligations that must specifically address the materials used or stored on site. Where flammable substances, plastics or other combustible materials are present, DSEAR obligations apply alongside the FSO, and the fire risk assessment must address the specific fire and explosion characteristics of those materials. Detection coverage, access for fire appliances, the adequacy of compartmentation and the emergency arrangements for all occupancy hours — including overnight and weekend periods — must all be explicitly addressed.
Mill conversions and heritage industrial buildings. Blackburn's converted cotton mills — repurposed as apartments, managed workspaces, retail and mixed-use premises — carry the specific fire safety compliance challenges common to Victorian mill construction: large open floor areas, shared roof spaces, complex escape routes and the need for fire separation between units that was not part of the original design. Managing agents and responsible persons in converted mills must ensure their fire risk assessments address the building as it currently stands, including fire door condition and the adequacy of fire stopping at all service penetrations between tenancies.
Offices and commercial premises. Office and commercial premises across the town centre and commercial estates must hold written fire risk assessments specific to their current use. In multi-occupier buildings, Article 22 of the FSO requires responsible persons to cooperate and share relevant fire safety information.
Hotels and visitor accommodation. Hotels and hospitality premises must hold written fire risk assessments covering all areas of the building. The evacuation plan must be realistic for overnight occupancy, and staff training must include procedures for guests who may need assistance to evacuate.
Schools. The primary and secondary schools across the borough require written fire risk assessments, staff training and fire drills at minimum once per term. Where school premises include older buildings or multi-wing campuses, the assessment must reflect the specific layout and construction of the building.
Mosques and faith buildings. Blackburn has one of the largest Muslim communities in Lancashire, and its mosques — including Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam and many others — are regulated premises under the FSO. Faith buildings carry specific compliance obligations around means of escape for large gatherings, emergency lighting and staff training. The fire risk assessment must reflect the full range of uses — Friday prayers, community events, educational programmes — not just routine daily use, and must address the occupancy levels at the building's busiest times.
Care homes and residential care. Care homes and residential care premises must hold written fire risk assessments with Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for all residents who cannot self-evacuate. Evacuation chair training is an expected element of care staff competence, and the assessment must reflect current resident dependency levels across all shifts.
HMOs and the private rented sector. Houses in multiple occupation carry FSO obligations for their common parts. Fire door condition in converted residential properties deteriorates rapidly under everyday use and requires regular inspection and maintenance.
Managing agents. Agents responsible for the common parts of commercial or residential buildings carry FSO obligations for those areas. Our dedicated service for managing agents sets out how we work with property managers across the region.
Fire Safety Support for Blackburn and Lancashire
Fletcher Risk Management provides fire risk assessments in Blackburn and across Lancashire, alongside fire door inspections, fire safety training, evacuation plans, fire safety policies and evacuation chair training. Whatever type of premises you are responsible for, we can advise on your obligations and help you meet them. Please get in touch.
Fire safety support across the North West and North Wales
Fletcher Risk Management provides fire risk assessments, fire door inspections and fire safety training for responsible persons across Chester, Cheshire, the Wirral, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, North Wales and the West Midlands. To discuss your requirements, please get in touch.
This article is intended for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Responsible persons should seek professional advice tailored to their specific premises and circumstances. Fletcher Risk Management Ltd provides fire risk assessments, fire door inspections and fire safety training across the North West and North Wales.