FIREFIGHTERS dismantled the ceiling of a static caravan after a fire was started by a badly fitted wood burning stove.

Two crews attended the site, off Burnley Road, Bacup, when the resident reported a fire in his roof space at around 8.20pm on Saturday.

The man said the wood burner had been fitted by a friend an hour earlier and had lit it to test it.

The resident believed he had put out the blaze with water, but when the officers from Bacup fire station investigated, they found it was still burning.

The wood burner had the wrong type of flue pipe and had begun losing heat into the roof space causing the fire.

Firefighters urged people to have wood burners fitted by professionals.

Watch manager Damian Hartley, of Bacup fire station, said: “If anybody has a wood burner fitted, please ensure it is properly done.

“When having any type of wood or multi-fuel stove fitted to your property, ensure that it is fitted by a qualified installer who will ensure that the correct flue pipe is installed and that it is completely sealed to reduce the chance of carbon monoxide escaping in to the room.

“If the burner doesn’t have the correct flu pipe, it can spread heat and cause fire. If it isn’t sealed properly then you can get carbon monoxide leaks, which are silent killers.”