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| Two bodies found after Manchester Chinatown fire | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two bodies have been found inside a disused building after a large fire broke out in Manchester's Chinatown. | |
| The blaze began at about 02:15 GMT at a building on Nicholas Street and lit up the Chinatown arch at its peak. | |
| Some roads remain shut. | |
| The blaze is now under control but the building has "severe damage", fire crews said. They added it was unlikely to cause further damage to other buildings. | The blaze is now under control but the building has "severe damage", fire crews said. They added it was unlikely to cause further damage to other buildings. |
| Ch Insp Gareth Parkin, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "These are tragic circumstances and we working to identify the people who were found in the building. | |
| "Due to falling debris, firefighters were forced to keep back from the multi-storey commercial building." | |
| Latest updates on this and other stories | Latest updates on this and other stories |
| Damaged staircases inside the building had to be shored up before a search and rescue dog was sent in at about 10:10. | Damaged staircases inside the building had to be shored up before a search and rescue dog was sent in at about 10:10. |
| A drone camera has surveyed damage from above. | A drone camera has surveyed damage from above. |
| A spokesperson said they were looking for hot spots, any fire which had not been fully put out. | A spokesperson said they were looking for hot spots, any fire which had not been fully put out. |
| A fire investigation team is at the scene. | A fire investigation team is at the scene. |
| Roads were blocked by the fleet of fire engines sent to tackle the flames which illuminated Chinatown's decorative gateway at the peak of the blaze. | Roads were blocked by the fleet of fire engines sent to tackle the flames which illuminated Chinatown's decorative gateway at the peak of the blaze. |
| Bus services have also been affected. | Bus services have also been affected. |
| Stagecoach and First Manchester are currently unable to serve Piccadilly Gardens, Transport for Greater Manchester said. | Stagecoach and First Manchester are currently unable to serve Piccadilly Gardens, Transport for Greater Manchester said. |
| The incident is also causing congestion in the city centre. | The incident is also causing congestion in the city centre. |
| Portland Street was closed between Charlotte Street and Princess Street. It reopened at about 10:40 GMT. | Portland Street was closed between Charlotte Street and Princess Street. It reopened at about 10:40 GMT. |
| At the scene: BBC Radio Manchester reporter, Michelle Adamson | At the scene: BBC Radio Manchester reporter, Michelle Adamson |
| "The roof has completely gone on this building. You can see the sky through the top windows there because the roof is completely collapsed. | "The roof has completely gone on this building. You can see the sky through the top windows there because the roof is completely collapsed. |
| "I can see the the charred burnt struts of the roof there. Most of it has just gone completely. | "I can see the the charred burnt struts of the roof there. Most of it has just gone completely. |
| "This was a very fierce fire. It is now under control. It is not being actively fought now. But fire crews are still damping down." | |