A ROAD is reopening days after a devastating building fire which gutted two businesses.

Plodder Lane in Farnworth has been closed since Friday morning, when an arson attack ripped through a building in the early hours of the morning.

Bolton Council has announced that from today, the main road will be open again after extensive investigations of the property.

The fire spread through a building housing two dental labs, destroying windows and reducing the roof to rubble. Business owners were left shocked as they arrived at the scene to find their workplace completely burned out.

The instability of the structure meant that a small area around the building remains cordoned off and the road remained closed.

Today, the council thanked residents for their patience while emergency services dealt with the situation over the weekend. It is believed that the building may have to be demolished.

The fire is thought to have started at Pristine Dental Lab, spreading through the building to R&W Dental Lab on the floor above and affecting Retail Laundry next door. 

Fire crews spent much of Friday morning tackling the fire which was tearing through the buildings.

They were called to Plodder Lane shortly after midnight following reports of a building fire and flames seen on the roof.

The fire involved the ground and first floors and roof of the clinic.

The Bolton News:

Five fire engines attended the blaze on Friday, with crews using jets, aerial platforms and hose reels to bring it under control. Water was still being sprayed on the property well into the afternoon.

The fire service has since used a drone in their inspections of the damage.

This week, a spokesman for Farnworth Fire Station said: “Police and CID (Criminal Investigation Department) are still investigating on the scene.

“We put up a drone where it will take aerial photos and check for hotspots within the building.

“Demolition teams are also observing the building as it is an unsafe structure.”