Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a mosque in Blackburn after a suspicious fire caused damage to the building on Saturday night.
The incident took place late at night at Masjid-e-Quwwatul Islam on Stansfeld Street. Police have launched an investigation and are appealing for information.
Emergency services were called after a fire broke out at the rear of Masjid-e-Quwwatul Islam in Blackburn.
The blaze was reported at around 11.30pm. No injuries were reported and the fire was brought under control before it could spread further.
A statement issued by the mosque described the incident as a “suspected arson attack” and confirmed that damage had been caused to part of the building.
The mosque thanked members of the public for their support and urged anyone with information to contact police. The statement also asked worshippers to remain calm while investigations continue.
Images shared online showed fire damage near the rear of the premises. Community leaders said the attack had caused alarm among local residents, particularly given a recent rise in attacks targeting Muslim places of worship and prayer facilities.
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Journalist Taj Ali reported that the mosque had been targeted shortly before midnight and confirmed that a police investigation was underway. He said there had been no injuries despite the seriousness of the incident.
Police investigation
Lancashire Police have confirmed that the incident is being treated as “suspicious” and an investigation is underway.
At the time of writing, no arrests have been announced and detectives are continuing enquiries to establish exactly how the blaze started.
Police have appealed for witnesses and for anyone with relevant CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage to come forward.
Investigators have not publicly confirmed a motive. However, members of the local Muslim community fear the attack may have been motivated by anti-Muslim hostility due to the building being an active place of worship.
The attack comes amid growing concern about the safety of Muslim institutions across Britain.
Only weeks earlier, another Muslim prayer facility in Blackburn was targeted when masked individuals allegedly threw incendiary devices into a prayer room attached to a local café.
The incident caused significant damage and prompted widespread condemnation from faith leaders and community organisations.
Following that attack, Lancashire Police said enquiries were ongoing. The force stated that the motivation had not yet been fully established and that officers were carrying out reassurance patrols in the area.
Growing fears
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the vulnerability of mosques and Islamic centres.
Recent years have seen a number of serious attacks on mosques across the UK.
These include arson incidents in Manchester, Essex, Northern Ireland and elsewhere. Several were investigated as hate crimes or suspected acts of religious hostility.
Last week, the home of an Islamic teacher was fire bombed in Bolton along with a suspicious device planted outside of a Mosque in the same area.
Community representatives in Blackburn have called for increased protection for places of worship and a thorough investigation into the latest incident.
As police enquiries continue, many are hoping those responsible will be identified quickly and brought before the courts.
