TWO fires ravaged a row of terrace houses in Burnley.

Fire crews were called out twice to Southey Street, off Accrington Road last night to serious blazes in four of the derelict properties.

One of the fires also spread to a nearby occupied house, forcing the evacuation of the owner.

The fires are being treated as deliberate and a fire investigation team and the police were due to visit the scene today.

Flammable liquids were found in some of the houses and firefighters said the blazes had not been caused by pranksters.

The first blaze broke out at around 6pm on the staircases and first floor bedrooms of two of the empty houses and was followed at shortly before 2am with a blaze in a further empty house which spread to two other properties.

Fire crews from Burnley, Nelson and Padiham along with the incident support unit from Accrington spent several hours tackling the blaze. They later found bottles filled with flammable liquid and firelighters in some of the properties.

Sub-officer Neil Mark said: "We will be carrying out a full investigation as the fires are being treated as deliberate.

"Accelerants were discovered in the properties and this does not appear to be the work of youngsters who have just broken in for a prank."

The evacuated families were today staying with friends and families as fire and police officers continued to investigate the cause of the blaze.