Investigation launched into 'deliberate' fire in Preston
Three crews from Preston and Penwortham were called to the incident on Pole Street at around 7.40am.
On arrival crews found a number of tyres on fire on stairs leading to the basement of the building.
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Hide AdA spokesman said: "We were obviously concerned that a homeless person may have been in the basement but we used thermal imaging cameras to make sure that was not the case.
"We extinguished the fire using a hose and cleared the building of smoke using a positive pressure ventilation unit."
The fire is being investigated by police and fire services.
Nobody was injured during the incident.