A substantial fire has erupted at Dalton Mills, a factory in West Yorkshire used when filming Downton Abbey and Peaky Blinders. Shortly after the Dalton Mills fire began, the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service released an official statement: “We currently have fire engines & specialist units in attendance at a fire at Dalton Mills, Keighley. There is a lot of smoke in the area & residents are advised to keep doors/windows closed. Please avoid traveling through the area.”
“We have 20+ appliances in attendance at a fire in Dalton Mill in Keighley,” an update added. “100% of building involved in fire. Hose reel jets & aerial ladder platform in use. Appliances from neighboring brigades are also in attendance. Partner agencies in attendance – Police, Ambulance, Yorkshire Water and Environment Agency.”
“There is a large fire service presence around the incident so please give crews space to do their job safely,” said another update. “Please do not visit the area or travel into the area. Keep doors/windows closed.”
Screen Yorkshire executive Richard Knight released a statement about the blaze, saying that the loss of the location will have a harsh effect on the area and filming landscape. “It’s one of those amazing locations that is like a destination in its own right,” Knight told the BBC. “It’s got the kind of provenance and scale that could attract filmmakers from far and wide.”
You can check out images from the firey scene below:
The Dalton Mills fire will have a lasting effect on the area after destroying one of its most popular filming locations. Dalton Mills was once the largest textile mill in Yorkshire. Built by Joseph Craven in 1869, the building employed over 2,000 workers.
“The distinctive mills offer a range of large-scale spaces and historic features, including a large courtyard and recently renovated clock tower. It is able to accommodate on-site production offices and workshops and has suitable parking for facilities vehicles,” the Screen Yorkshire website states.
“Dalton Mills is building a strong reputation as a filming location, thanks to its diverse range of industrial spaces, which offer a historic industrial backdrop as well as set build space, making it ideally suited to period dramas,” the website continues.
The Dalton Mills fire is sure to strike a blow against the West Yorkshire community. We hope the blaze is extinguished quickly and that no one was hurt in the blaze.