ARSON ARREST Teen Arrested Over Fire at Historic Leek Silk Mill

An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a blaze engulfed Leek’s historic silk mill on Friday night.

Chaos as Firefighters Battle Blaze

The alarm was raised at 9.22pm when smoke and flames were spotted pouring from the Mill Street building. Up to six fire crews raced to the scene, working alongside Staffordshire Police to tackle the inferno.

Staffordshire Police quickly put road closures in place and evacuated nearby residents as a precaution. A large cordon remains active, with crews unable to enter the damaged building yet.

“The fire is under control but has yet to be extinguished as crews are unable to enter the building at this time,” said Station Manager Jonathan Ashby. “The large cordon is still in place, and we expect to be in the area for some time whilst we work to bring the incident to a safe and swift conclusion.”

Man in Custody

The suspect, from Leek, was taken into custody on suspicion of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered. He remains in police custody while investigations continue.

Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. However, residents nearby have been advised to keep windows and doors firmly shut due to lingering smoke.

Investigation Underway

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Fire & Rescue confirmed, “We are still working at the scene of a fire at a building in Leek.” Officials have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire, which will be revealed after the investigation is complete.

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