Five youths have been arrested in connection with a blaze at Dalton Mills in Keighley, West Yorkshire which gutted the historic building.
Bradford District CID says investigations are continuing and officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious between about 11.30am and noon to come forward.
They are also seeking drivers who were in the area at the time and might have dashcam footage.
Over 100 firefighters remain at the scene of a raging inferno that ripped through the historic Dalton Mills in the bustling market town of Keighley, West Yorkshire
Dramatic photos showed 100 firefighters at the scene of a raging inferno that ripped through the historic mill in the bustling market town of Keighley, West Yorkshire.
Huge flames and thick plumes of black smoke could be seen ripping through the entire brick building as fire crews battle to get the fire under control.
Footage taken at the scene showed flames had broken through the Grade-II listed building’s roof by the afternoon and was rising over nearby houses and businesses.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said 20 pumps had been called out to the scene in Keighley, just before midday on Thursday.
The emergency services have advised residents to keep their windows closed and have shut nearby roads.
Huge flames and thick plumes of black smoke can be seen ripping through the building as fire crews battle to get the fire under control
This afternoon Bradford Council said they would open Keighley’s leisure centre to provide shelter for any affected residents.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service tweeted about the fire on Thursday, saying: ‘Emergency services are currently in attendance at a large fire on Dalton Lane, Keighley.
‘Police are assisting the fire service and urge local residents to keep doors and windows shut.
‘Road closures are currently in place, please avoid the area.’
Robbie Moore, the Conservative MP for Keighley, tweeted: ‘Extremely concerning ongoing scenes at Dalton Mills in Keighley.
‘Hoping everyone is safe during this horrific incident. Huge thanks to emergency services for getting to scene so quickly.’
Robbie Moore, the Conservative MP for Keighley, tweeted: ‘Hoping everyone is safe during this horrific incident. Huge thanks to emergency services for getting to scene so quickly’
Dalton Mills was used as a filming location for the first season of the hit British gangster TV show Peaky Blinders (pictured above)
Footage taken at the scene shows flames had already broken through the Grade-II building’s roof by the afternoon and was rising over nearby houses and businesses.
Arsonists have previously struck the mill before, with one vacant area completely destroyed after alleged copper thieves targeted the site.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘We have 20+ appliances in attendance at a fire in Dalton Mill in Keighley.
‘100% of building involved in fire. Appliances from neighbouring brigades are also in attendance.’
The Victorian era Dalton Mills, built in 1869 by Joseph Craven, was once the largest textile mill in Yorkshire and employed more than 2,000 workers.
The site featured in the first season of the hit shows Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey as well as other dramas including The Great Train Robbery, Gunpowder and The Limehouse Golem.
A description from production company Screen Yorkshire reads: ‘The distinctive mills offer a range of large scale spaces and historic features, including a large courtyard and recently renovated clock tower.
‘It is able to accommodate on site production offices and workshops and has suitable parking for facilities vehicles.
‘Dalton Mills is building a strong reputation as a filming location, thanks to its diverse range of industrial spaces, which offer an historic industrial backdrop as well as set build space, making it ideally suited to period dramas.’
Productions filmed there in recent years include The Great Train Robbery, Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey.
Photographers pictured the historic interior of the 19th century Dalton Mills (above) prior to Thursday’s blaze
Pictures taken from the interior of the historic Dalton Mills in August 2020, prior to the devastating fire on Thursday, March 2022
Dalton Mills fell into disrepair and was closed in the 1990s, before being partially restored and removed from English Heritage’s at-risk register in 2015.
Dalton Mills fell into disrepair and was closed in the 1990s, before being partially restored and removed from English Heritage’s at-risk register in 2015.
An urban explorer behind the Facebook page Lost Places and Forgotten Faces documented the site and captured images of Dalton Mills in August 2020.
He said: ‘I’d had my eye on exploring Dalton Mills for a while as I had visited Keighley many times as a child and had seen the huge and historic mill from the outside many times.
‘I finally managed to have a look inside the mill, and explore the huge open floors and workshops steeped in history.
The fire service told people living nearby to keep windows and doors closed, and to avoid travelling through the area because of the smoke
The Victorian building was said to have once been the largest textile mill in Yorkshire, employing around 2,000 workers
‘The basement has been converted into a movie set, where I found relics from the film The Lighthouse Golem, which was filmed there.
‘Scenes from one of my favourite TV shows, Peaky Blinders, was also filmed there.
‘I’m so sad to learn about the current situation with Dalton Mills. I am the only explorer who was able to properly explore and document this historic Yorkshire building.
‘It still remains one of my all time favourite explores. I really hope the authorities can get to the bottom of what happened, and hopefully the mill, and the history, can in some way be salvaged.’