Fire Destroys Historic Silk Mill in Leek

A massive fire tore through a historic silk mill in the Staffordshire town of Leek on Friday evening, engulfing the derelict six-storey structure and prompting evacuations in nearby streets.

The blaze at The Big Mill on Mill Street broke out around 9 p.m., according to the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Six fire crews and an aerial ladder platform were dispatched to the scene, where flames rapidly consumed the entire building. Drone footage captured huge fires covering the structure, with the roof collapsed and a section of one wall missing by Saturday morning. The service reported that four engines remained on site into the following day to dampen hotspots, as smoke continued to smolder.

Emergency officials urged the public to avoid the area entirely, noting that traffic was hindering firefighting efforts. Residents in neighboring streets were advised to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke inhalation, and some local accounts indicated that families were evacuated as a precaution. The fire was visible from several miles away, including areas in Stoke-on-Trent and Sneyd Green. One resident, Victoria Smith, described the scene to reporters as "an absolute...