Major Fire Erupts at Warburtons Bread Factory in Lancashire
A significant fire has broken out at the Warburtons bread factory located in Burnley, Lancashire. The blaze produced a large plume of smoke visible hundreds of feet into the air.
Dave Fishwick, founder of the Burnley Savings and Loan credit union and known from the films Bank of Dave and its sequel, captured footage of the fire while flying nearby in his helicopter.
On his Facebook post from the aircraft, Fishwick stated that he had contacted police and the fire service to notify them of the incident.
A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that 12 fire crews were actively tackling the fire, which began at approximately 14:45 BST on the Billington Road industrial estate.
Fishwick, aged 55, who gained public recognition through his credit union initiative in Burnley and the related films, provided a narration of the scene from his helicopter cockpit.
"I'm flying over Burnley and there's a huge fire down there...
"I hope everybody is OK. It's unbelievable how big the fire is.
"I better call the fire brigade now and just make sure they know about it.
"The big factory roof looks like it is going up. It looks like it is Warburtons."
The fire service advised residents and those nearby to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution.
A Warburtons spokesperson confirmed that the building had been safely evacuated. However, the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage remain unknown at this time.
Dave Fishwick is a self-made millionaire who initially earned his fortune through selling vans. In 2011, he founded Burnley Savings and Loan to provide affordable credit options to local residents.
The Netflix film Bank of Dave, released in 2023 and starring Rory Kinnear, is a fictionalized portrayal of Fishwick's efforts to obtain a banking license for his credit union.
Warburtons is the largest family-owned bakery firm in the UK, established in 1876 in Bolton.
In an update issued around 21:00 BST, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service stated that crews would remain at the scene for the "foreseeable future." They also requested that people refrain from flying drones near the site, as this could interfere with the fire service’s own drone operations used to survey the area.
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