Barrow's fire station manager has reflected on the raging fire that engulfed the former House of Lords pub on Abbey Road four years on.

It was January 2017 when the pub caught fire and Barrow Fire Station manager Roger Exley was one of the first on the scene.

Reflecting on the shocking incident, Mr Exley said that it was one of the biggest challenges he faced in his entire career.

"This was a big job and posed a real risk to firefighters, especially when that wall came down," he said.

"Straight away the decision was made to put defensive firefighter tactics into play as the first thought was the risk to firefighters."

The Mail: Abbey Road fire the House of Lords BarrowAbbey Road fire the House of Lords Barrow

He explained that fire crews evacuated the neighbouring pub (Bar Continental) and other surrounding buildings as well as ensuring there was nobody inside the building following rumours of squatters being in there before.

Mr Exley said he had just sat down with a cup of tea from a previous job when he got the callout.

The Mail: REFLECT: Fire station manager Roger ExleyREFLECT: Fire station manager Roger Exley

"I was there within five minutes of the callout and I went home about 24 to 48 hours later," he said.

"There were 13 fire engines on the scene in total and Morecambe Bay firefighters even came to help.

"What had happened was that it was all boarded up with a huge fire inside and there was a window that was just pumping out flames.

"It was one of the biggest fires of my career.

"It was down to great firefighters who did a great job."

He went on to say how lessons had been learned from the"dangerous" fire – both positive and negative – and that it has proven to be a great source of education for new recruits, who can witness something this big happening on their doorstep.

The fire investigation report revealed the only confirmed possible source of ignition in the room where the fire started was electrical wiring.

However, this did not explain why the fire spread so quickly and arson could not be discounted.

The site remains a ruin and there are currently no plans in place in terms of what is next for the place that now holds a big piece of Barrow history.

The Mail: FIRE: The Mail's front page following the fireFIRE: The Mail's front page following the fire

Mr Exley said that the fire teams were now taking a more proactive approach to prevent fires in old buildings in the area where regulations were not as scrupulous as modern builds.

He has offered help to any building owners who want advice on what can help prevent fires in their premises.

The Mail: SITE: Current state of The House of Lords on Abbey RoadSITE: Current state of The House of Lords on Abbey Road