Body found in Preston church fire wreckage identified by police

By Matthew Calderbank
Published 4th Nov 2022, 12:44 BST
Updated 4th Nov 2022, 12:44 BST
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A body found in the charred wreckage of a Preston church fire has been identified, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were called after a blaze broke out at St David’s Church in Eldon Street at around 6am on Thursday, October 27.

After the fire was extinguished, crews sadly found a body among the ruins.

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Lancashire Police launched an investigation to identify the deceased and establish the circumstances surrounding their death.

Smoke could be seen for miles around as crews battled to bring the blaze under control (Credit: Julie Cowburn)Smoke could be seen for miles around as crews battled to bring the blaze under control (Credit: Julie Cowburn)
Smoke could be seen for miles around as crews battled to bring the blaze under control (Credit: Julie Cowburn)

The force advised that “enquiries may take some considerable time” and were unable to say whether the deceased was male or female.

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Fire victim now identified

But today (Friday, November 4), Lancashire Police confirmed the deceased has now been identified.

A body was found by emergency services after the fire destroyed a derelict St David’s Church on Eldon Street, Preston on October 27A body was found by emergency services after the fire destroyed a derelict St David’s Church on Eldon Street, Preston on October 27
A body was found by emergency services after the fire destroyed a derelict St David’s Church on Eldon Street, Preston on October 27

“He is a man in his 30s,” said a police spokesman. “We are trying to trace his next of kin.”

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Police also confirmed that the fire is not being treated as suspicious and is believed to have been caused by accident.

St David’s Church was founded in 1910 but has been derelict for a number of years. In August 2020, a planning application was submitted to Preston City Council, seeking to convert it into supported living housing.

The building was completely destroyed in last week’s fire and the future of the site remains uncertain.

You can read our full report on the church fire in Eldon Street here.