Bradford fire: Police say blaze at old Canterbury Youth Centre treated as arson as building set to be pulled down

By Charles Gray
Published 21st Feb 2023, 12:55 BST
Updated 21st Feb 2023, 12:55 BST
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A fire at a derelict youth centre in Bradford is being treated as arson, police have confirmed.

Fire crews from across West Yorkshire were called to the Canterbury Youth Centre on Arum Street at around 7.30am yesterday (Monday), where they found smoke pouring from the roof before it erupted into flames. Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control within an hour and an investigation into the cause of the fire has begun, with West Yorkshire Police saying that they are treating the incident as arson.

The fire damage was so severe that the centre is now set to be demolished this week, due to its instability and dangerous condition. It had been shut for a few years and was already earmarked for demolition.

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Station Manager Michael Fox, from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The place had been subject to quite a bit of vandalism and anti-social behaviour since it shut, and this fire has now caused further damage.

Emergency crews were called to the blaze on Monday morning.Emergency crews were called to the blaze on Monday morning.
Emergency crews were called to the blaze on Monday morning.

“We worked together with Bradford Council about the precarious situation the building is now in, and they are now making it safe ahead of it being pulled down.”

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “We are treating the fire at Arum Street yesterday as Arson. Enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 and quote the crime reference 13230100238.”

A Bradford Council spokesperson added: “The decision to demolish the building had already been taken prior to this fire and work had taken place to prepare for that. We will now spend the next couple of days making the building safe and then begin demolition. We expect the demolition to be complete within the next three weeks.”

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They added that hopes to build a “better, more modern” youth centre built on the site, saying that Bradford-based charity, One In A Million, is currently bidding for money from the government to go towards the project.

Fire crews found smoke pouring from the roof before it erupted into flames.Fire crews found smoke pouring from the roof before it erupted into flames.
Fire crews found smoke pouring from the roof before it erupted into flames.

Firefighters left the scene by lunchtime yesterday after damping down the premises. Crews from Normanton, Killingbeck, and Shipley remained on scene into the afternoon as precaution while work to make the building safe was undertaken.

A fire investigation team has been at the scene and will continue to investigate what the cause of the fire was.