A BURNLEY fire chief today called on police to treat a suspected arson attack on a house as an attempted murder inquiry.

Station Officer Steve Cope said the fire attack on Audrey Smith at her house in Ardwick Street could have proved fatal.

Fire crews were called to the house at 7.25pm yesterday where they found Mrs Smith inside the smoke-logged property along with a man.

Mrs Smith had managed to extinguish the fire, caused by paper pushed through the letter-box, although smoke had filled the house.

Station Officer Cope said: "When we got to the house there was no sign of fire although there was still a great deal of smoke. Someone seemed to have pushed some paper through the letter-box which had set fire to the door and to a crate inside.

"Luckily, Mrs Smith had managed to pour water on the fire but if she had been asleep when this happened she probably would have died in the incident and the police would have been investigating a murder.

"Just because she did not die does not mean incidents like this should not be treated seriously and I would like the police to treat this as an arson with intent to endanger life.

"The problem is that often these things are not treated as a serious incident by the police because there are no injuries.

"However, as a fire service we look at the potential of an incident and in cases like this where there could have been a fatality, it should be treated seriously."

A police spokesman said the fire was being investigated.