A major fire requiring a dozen fire engines has occurred at the Warburtons bakery in Burnley.
A statement from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said crews from across the county had been called to a commercial property on Billington Road at 2:45pm yesterday (4 May).
Warburtons confirmed that the fire involved one of its production lines and had been contained to one side of the bakery building, with a full investigation currently underway to determine its cause. The company noted that everyone was safe after being successfully evacuated from the building, with no injuries reported.
“Production has obviously stopped on site and we are currently looking at upweighting production at our other 11 bakeries to minimise impact on supply,” added a Warburtons spokesperson.
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service revealed that, at the height of the incident, 12 fire engines and several specialist units were in attendance with police, ambulance, and on-site staff also on scene to assist crews.
An update at 9am this morning reported that half of the fire engines and units remained at the scene due to pockets of fire still burning inside. “Firefighters are working with onsite teams to extinguish the fire and mitigate any impact on neighbouring properties,” the statement said, adding that crews are expected to remain on the scene for the next couple of days to ensure the fire has been fully extinguished.
Members of the public are advised to continue avoiding the area. The industrial estate on the outskirts of Burnley is also home to sweet treat supplier Cherrytree Bakery, which was a finalist in the Bakery Manufacturer of the Year category at the Baking Industry Awards 2025.
A Facebook video posted just after midnight last night by Dave Fishwick – founder of the credit union Burnley Savings and Loan – showed him narrating the scene yesterday as he flew his helicopter nearby. The camera zoomed in to show plumes of smoke billowing out of one of the main buildings in the complex.
The Warburtons site in Burnley specialises in production of hot plate products such as crumpets and alternative sandwich carriers including sandwich thins, wraps, and soft pitta breads. The company spent £8m on a new crumpet line in 2021 as part of a £56m investment programme, and last year was granted permission to extend the existing footprint of the site by around 4,400 sq ft with a new storage facility as well as enclosing its brine and yeast plant.
Just a few weeks ago, Warburtons unveiled a new £100m investment programme which included two new crumpet lines at the Burnley bakery, enabling increased capacity and further product innovation.
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