Firefighters tackle large blaze at Stalybridge mill

Firefighters are continuing to tackle a blaze at a mill in Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the mill in Clarence Street, Stalybridge, at 23:43 GMT on Saturday.

Incident commander Bjorn Burdsall said the service was "getting towards" damping down some areas of the fire, but parts of the mill are unstable so they "cannot yet fully extinguish it".

At its height, five storeys of the building were alight.

Overnight incident commander Billy Fenwick said the fire had been "surrounded" by 06:00 on Sunday, and added that crews had stopped it from spreading.

"We are confident nearby buildings are safe from harm," he added.

More than 50 firefighters were tackling the blaze at its height.

Mr Fenwick said firefighters would continue to tackle the blaze throughout Sunday and said a fire investigation team would attend to "try and establish a cause".

The fire service said they did not believe anyone was in the mill, which is believed to be home to a number of small businesses, at the time.

One of the tenants, cheerleading and dance class provider TCA Tycoons, posted on Facebook that it was "heartbroken".

"This was not only where our cheer and dance programme was based, it was also a home and a safe place for so many parents and athletes," it said.

Two aerial platforms are being used "to put water on the fire from height and to help control the plume of smoke".

Mr Fenwick advised nearby residents to keep doors and windows closed as a precaution, to stop smoke entering their homes.

"Please also ensure you stay away from the nearby area and do not drive nearby - for both your safety and to make sure we can fight this fire," he added.

Road closures are in place around Clarence Street and Tame Street.

The fire service said roads in the immediate area are expected to remain closed for the majority of the week.