Crews tackle wildfire at quarry near Greater Manchester

There is a large fire service response tonight after a fire broke out at a quarry in East Lancashire.

The alarm was raised just after 6pm after the blaze was spotted near Lee Mill Quarry in Bacup, close to Whitworth and the border with Greater Manchester.

Aerial pictures showed billowing out which could reportedly be seen several miles away. One fire engine and two specialist wildfire units from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene.

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Firefighters used a Haggulund vehicle, a specialist all-terrain vehicle used to access hard-to-reach off-road areas, and hand tools to extinguish it.

In an update issued just after 9pm this evening, Lancs Fire service said the fire was out but that crews remained at the scene.

A spokesperson said: "At 18:06 on the 30th April 2024, one fire engine and the two wildfire units from Bacup and Rawtenstall attended a wildfire near Lee Mill Quarry in Bacup.

"Firefighters used the Haggulund vehicle and hand tools to extinguish the fire. Crews remain in attendance at this time."

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