Teenager arrested on suspicion of arson after fire rips through historic mill

A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire broke out at a Grade II-listed building in Staffordshire.

Officers were called at 9.35pm on Friday to reports that The Big Mill on Mill Street, Leek, was on fire, Staffordshire Police said.

No-one was injured and a fire investigation is taking place, the force added.

Police announced on Saturday morning that an 18-year-old man from Leek had been arrested on suspicion of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered and was in custody.

Drone footage showed huge flames covering the entire building, with the roof no longer in place and a section of a wall missing.

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Six crews worked to contain the fire at its height, with four crews remaining by midday on Saturday.

While the blaze is under control, it is yet to be extinguished because firefighters are unable to enter the building, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

Station manager Jonathan Ashby said: "The large cordon is still in place and we're expected to be in the area for some time whilst we work to bring the incident to a safe and swift conclusion."

Various road closures were put in place and officers supported residents who had been evacuated from their homes as a precaution, police added.

The fire service said that the cause will be determined after an investigation.

It advised people not to drive near the area and those living nearby to keep doors and windows closed. Residents claimed the derelict building appeared "completely burned out".

The six-storey mill dates back to 1860 and is an important example of a large-scale building for the silk industry, according to the Historic England website.

It represents one of the earliest mill buildings on this scale in Leek, the public body adds.

It also notes that the building is a good example of the mill-style developed by William Sugden, the leading mill architect at work in Leek at this time.

The site had been derelict for several years and a planning application had previously been submitted to convert the building to 55 apartments.

Dame Karen Bradley, the Conservative Staffordshire Moorlands MP, said on social media that she was "so sad to see the terrible fire at the Big Mill".

(c) Sky News 2026: Teenager arrested on suspicion of arson after fire rips through historic mill