Firebugs, 13 and 14, facing police rap after Abingdon Street Post Office blaze drama
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Fire crews had to clamber through windows at the famous building to put out the blaze at 4.20pm on Boxing Day.
Witnesses reported a passer-by narrowly escape injury when a glass pane from the building, which was built in 1910, crashed to the pavement below.
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Hide AdWhen police were alerted, two youths were found inside the property.


They were detained and will be interviewed by police at a later date.
Watch manager Warren Topp, from Forest Gate Fire Station, said four crews attended and they were faced with a difficult job.
He said: “It was an extremely dangerous site as there were parts of the floor missing and holes everywhere. It’s all being ripped out as part of being redeveloped. But if a fire took hold it could still cause a big issue.
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Hide Ad“We managed to get a 13.5m ladder up to the first floor from the front of the building and then gained access to the second floor with a triple extension ladder to be able to investigate. There was a fire but it had burnt itself out.”
A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “Two boys aged 13 and 14 were detained at the scene and will be voluntarily interviewed at a later date.”
The site is currently derelict awaiting redevelopment for a leisure and shopping hub called the ‘Red Box Quarter’.
The post office building was built in 1910 and was used until 2007 when the counter service moved to WH Smiths.
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Hide AdPlanning permission includes the removal of the former post office counter and its re-use to form a central kiosk within the main hall on the ground floor.
The original proposal for a 50-bedroom hotel was shelved in favour of investment in retail.