Fire ravages historic mill featured in Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey

A former textile mill that featured in TV dramas including Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey has been devastated by another major fire.

Firefighters were called to Dalton Mills in Keighley, West Yorkshire, at about 8pm on Saturday.

The blaze is the fifth at the Grade II-listed Victorian mill in as many years.

Built in the 1860s, it used to be one of the largest textile complexes in Yorkshire, employing thousands of workers in its heyday. Largely unused since the late 1980s, it's now derelict.

Twelve fire engines were sent to tackle the blaze, and a number of local residents were evacuated by West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS).

Bradford Council emergency planning officers were on the scene to provide support and guidance.

Robbie Moore, the MP for Keighley and Ilkley called the situation "deeply infuriating", adding: "The situation cannot continue."

Dalton Milla was subject to an arson attack in 2011, but after being bought by a businessman in 2013 it underwent a partial renovation, including the restoration of its clock tower.

In 2022, the interior was completely destroyed by another fire. In 2024, the Crown Estate took legal responsibility for the building. There was a further arson attack in 2025.

More recently, two fires in six days at the derelict site in February 2026 were "deliberate", according to WYFRS.

Visiting the site on Saturday night, while efforts to put out the fire were under way, Mr Moore said in a video posted on X: "You already will have seen that we have had another major fire in the centre of Keighley, which is deeply infuriating.

"This situation just simply cannot continue.

"I've been calling on our local authority to secure this site as best as possible for years now, and this is our next major fire."

Crews remained at the scene throughout the night, and while the incident was "ongoing" on Sunday morning, WYFRS said the fire had successfully been brought under control.

Sky News has contacted Bradford Council for further comment.

(c) Sky News 2026: Fire ravages historic mill featured in Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey