Worker escapes as Kirkburton takeaway goes up in smoke after petrol bomb blaze

FIREBOMBERS have attacked an Indian takeaway.

A worker at Zam Zam in Kirkburton managed to escape the building after a petrol bomb was believed to have been thrown through the doorway.

Police were called to the North Road takeaway at 12.15am yesterday after a bottle filled with a lit accelerant was thrown through the door of the property.

Crews from both Huddersfield and Skelmanthorpe fire service went to the blaze.

Watch Commander Darren Bagley said: “At 12.20pm, we were called to a fire at Zam Zam, Indian takeaway on North Road in Kirkburton.

“We believe it was a petrol bombing. One of the workers told us that a car had driven past and someone threw a petrol bomb in to the door.

“Evidence suggests this may have been the case.

“There was a bit of pooling on the floor and a smashed bottle but it is still under investigation by the fire investigation team and police.

“Nobody was injured and the one person in the building managed to get himself out.

“There has been, however, significant damage to the premises.

“There was severe fire damage to a third of the building and smoke damage to the whole of the building.

“We used one hose reel, one breathing apparatus and a positive pressure fan and spent about 10 minutes putting the fire out.

“We then stayed a further 30 minutes with the police and fire investigation team.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “The takeaway was closing for the night at the time of the incident, with only one member of staff in the building.

“There were no injuries. However, the building was extensively damaged by the fire.’’

Police are now appealing for witnesses and to anyone who saw a man enter the takeaway at around 11.30pm on Tuesday.

This man is in his mid to late 20s and had short brown hair.

He is clean shaven and wearing a black waist-length coat and dark coloured bottoms.

MP Simon Reevell, whose constituency covers Kirkburton, said: “The police are obviously treating this as a very serious incident.

“It is very frightening for people because it’s not the sort of thing you expect to happen in Kirkburton on a Wednesday morning.

“I know that the police want to reassure people that they are doing everything they can and people shouldn’t be nervous about going on with their every day business.

“This certainly isn’t typical of the area.’’

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Con Simon Thomas at Huddersfield CID via 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

No-one was available to comment at Zam Zam.