It was once a proud textile mill, humming to the noise of dozens of men and women working with some of the best machinery in town.
But as Richard Brown ruefully inspected the charred remains of Colne Mills after it was set alight in a massive blaze on Thursday night, it all seemed a very long time ago.
And after owning the building since 1980 all Mr Brown wants now is to see it demolished.
The retailer Aldi want to see it levelled, too, to enable them to redevelop it as a major store.
Mr Brown, of Spectrum Yarns Ltd, was speaking after suspected arsonists set fire to the well-known derelict building in Slaithwaite town centre.
The blaze – fought by dozens of firefighters – destroyed much of the property which is situated next to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and off Britannia Road.
Mr Brown said: “It’s bound to be a target isn’t it? It needs to come down from a safety point of view whether it is redeveloped or not.”
Police and scenes-of-crimes officers were making a fingertip search of the ruins of the mill yesterday morning, with a red petroleum container being removed from the site though officers say it is too early to tell whether it was used in starting the blaze.
The mill has been subject to many incidents of vandalism over the last few years and thieves have removed lead from the roof and stolen electric cables.
The smell and smoke from the fire covered most of the village on Thursday night with residents able to watch the blaze from more than a mile away.
Fire crews were alerted at 8.30pm on Thursday evening when smoke was spotted curling from the building.
The first crews on the scene quickly requested back-up and a total of six fire appliances from several stations in Huddersfield and Halifax were called to the scene.
The entire mill building, measuring 150m x 100m, was ablaze and flames shot through the roof.
Fire crews had to fight the blaze from one side by using equipment hoisted high above the canal.
Wearing breathing sets, they used the aerial appliance, five large jets and a hose-reel to bring the fire under control.
The fire was finally put out at about 9.45pm.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said members of Slaithwaite Conservative Club were asked to evacuate the club after they were alerted to the blaze.
Club steward Carol Hey said: “There was a snooker match going on against Almondbury WMC when we were asked to leave.
“We had a dance class upstairs as well, who were just finishing. It was important for members to get their cars out of the way for fire engines to access the site.”
Less than eight hours later, fire crews were again in action fighting a blaze at a former textile mill in the Colne Valley.
They were called to the former Holye Ing Dyeworks, just off Manchester Road in Linthwaite.
The mill has stood empty for a time and is up for sale.
The blaze was quickly put out but it is being treated as suspicious.
Police are investigating both that fire and the Slaithwaite blaze, along with specialist investigators from the fire service, to see whether arsonists are to blame.
Colne Valley Lib Dem councillor David Ridgway said he was worried about “someone with a box of matches and too much time on his hands”.
He said: “It’s dangerous and puts lives at risk.”
