ON January 28, 2016 more than 150 years of Bradford history went up in smoke when a huge fire tore through Drummond Mill. Within a week the sprawling 10-acre Manningham site - a leading part of Bradford’s global textile empire - was rubble. Around 125 firefighters tackled the blaze which started shortly after 11am and raged through the day and night. Surrounding Lumb Lane was closed and residents were evacuated. Firefighters were still putting out fire pockets days later. Despite heroic efforts to stop it spreading from a basement, the fire quickly reached adjacent mill buildings. Ian Bicton, West Yorkshire Assistant Chief Fire Officer, said: “Throughout my career I can honestly say I have never seen firefighters work as hard as they did to try to knock this fire back.”