A FLAT block had to be evacuated in Tyldesley after a car park fire.

Atherton Fire Crew were called to Porterfield Drive in Tyldesley following reports of a car fire.

When the crew arrived, at 4.10am this morning, three cars were ablaze and the first floor and ground floor flats had to be evacuated.

The cars, a Volvo Estate, Toyota Yaris and Mazda were destroyed in the fire.

Crew Manager Paul Gibbons said: “We were called by a member of the public about a car fire in the car park of the flats but when we arrived there were actually three cars alight.

“We evacuated the flat just because of how close the fire was to them. “There is no evidence to suggest it was deliberate and we think it was an accident caused by an engine fault, which then spread to the other close by cars.

“Before leaving we carried out some home safety checks on the ground floor flats to check that their fire alarms were working. “We were on the scene for about an hour.”

There were no reported casualties.