Firefighters in Carlisle have expressed anger at what appears to have been what they say is “another act of mindless arson” which needlessly put lives at risk.

Late on Sunday evening, crews from both Carlisle East and West fire stations, alongside a crew from Penrith and from Longtown were scrambled to the a large derelict building set “completely ablaze”.

The building, on farm land just outside Carlisle, off Kingmoor Road adjacent to the A689 bypass, burned through the night and into Monday morning as firefighters brought it under control.

Firefighters from Brampton were drafted to Carlisle East fire station through the night to provide cover for the city while so many crews were detained.

This blaze, which firefighters described yesterday as “potentially another act of mindless arson”, prompted a stern warning from the team at Carlisle East over the risk an incident like this poses to the entire northern half of the country.

A spokesman for the station pointed out that the significant resources needed to tackle the blaze – crews from four fire stations, plus a fifth redeployed to provide backup cover – “depleted the fire cover for the whole of the north of Cumbria”.

As such, tackling the blaze would have “delayed” crews should they be needed at another incident, “putting lives at risk”.

“If anyone saw anything suspicious in the area from around 8pm last night, please contact Cumbria police,” the spokesman added.