DOZENS of firefighters tackled a huge blaze in a row of terrace houses in Accrington.

Police have launched an investigation into the suspicious fire in Booth Street, which ripped through seven mid-terrace houses causing four chimneys to collapse.

More than 15 firefighters tackled the inferno which spread through the roof void of the houses, with heavy black smoke billowing across the street, at just after 6am yesterday.

Hours later the street remained cordoned off as fire crews used an aerial ladder platform and hose reels to dampen down pockets of fire.

One of the occupants of the house said he nearly died when his house became engulfed in smoke.

But he managed to escape after he was awoken by his smoke alarm.

“I would have died if my smoke alarm hadn't gone off. I couldn’t breathe or see anything and I just ran out of the house.

“When I got outside there were fire engines everywhere and the street was covered in really thick black smoke.”

Two out of the seven houses were occupied with the others boarded up and earmarked for demolition.

Yesterday afternoon fire crews remained at the scene to secure a chimney which was in danger of collapsing.

And police crime scene investigators also scoured the site collecting evidence to determine the cause of the blaze.

Crew manager, Liam Barker, from Accrington Fire Station, said: “Due to the way that the houses are built the fire rapidly spread through the roof void causing chimneys to collapse.”

Police are also investigating if the blaze was linked to a second fire at an empty house a few yards away in Royds Street at 10pm on Sunday.

The lounge and ground floor of the house were severely damaged.

Crew manager Barker said: “We deplore the actions of people who start fires deliberately and apart from the destruction, fire can cost lives and it also puts the crews at risk.

A Hyndburn Council spokesperson confirmed that a member of the council’s building control team had attended the incident.

Lancashire Police said they were aware of the incident and awaiting the final report from fire investigators before deciding whether to launch a full criminal investigation.