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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/15/fire-crews-battle-blaze-at-bolton-student-housing-building
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| Bolton fire: emergency crews battle blaze at student housing building | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Witnesses describe flames ‘crawling up cladding’ of six-storey building on Bradshawgate | Witnesses describe flames ‘crawling up cladding’ of six-storey building on Bradshawgate |
| Fire crews are tackling a large blaze “crawling up the cladding” of a student accommodation building in Bolton. | Fire crews are tackling a large blaze “crawling up the cladding” of a student accommodation building in Bolton. |
| Images posted on social media show firefighters tackling flames coming out of the windows on the top floors of a building on Bradshawgate. | Images posted on social media show firefighters tackling flames coming out of the windows on the top floors of a building on Bradshawgate. |
| Greater Manchester fire and rescue service said 40 fire engines and appliances had been at the scene and that the building had been evacuated. By 3am resources had been scaled back to 10 engines and two aerial appliances, as crews continued to tackle pockets of fire. | |
| Jim Hutton from Greater Manchester fire and rescue services said: “We have been fighting this fire for more than six hours now and we are making good progress, and that’s thanks to the quick and professional actions of our crews.” | |
| “Local residents are being asked to keep their windows and doors shut and avoid the area where possible,” a fire service statement read. | “Local residents are being asked to keep their windows and doors shut and avoid the area where possible,” a fire service statement read. |
| One eyewitness described the fire as “crawl[ing] up the cladding like it was nothing”. | One eyewitness described the fire as “crawl[ing] up the cladding like it was nothing”. |
| “The fire kept getting more intense, climbing up and to the right because the wind was blowing so hard,” said Ace Love, 35. “We could see it bubbling from the outside and then being engulfed from the outside. | “The fire kept getting more intense, climbing up and to the right because the wind was blowing so hard,” said Ace Love, 35. “We could see it bubbling from the outside and then being engulfed from the outside. |
| “A lot of students got out very fast, someone was very distressed, the rest were on phones calling for help. The fire got worse and worse, to the point where you could see through the beams, it was just bare frame.” | “A lot of students got out very fast, someone was very distressed, the rest were on phones calling for help. The fire got worse and worse, to the point where you could see through the beams, it was just bare frame.” |
| Roads have been closed and there was a large amount of smoke in the area. Greater Manchester police also said they were at the scene. | |
| “We are currently dealing with an incident on Bradshawgate and have a number of road closures in place,” read a police statement. “Please avoid the area until further notice.” | “We are currently dealing with an incident on Bradshawgate and have a number of road closures in place,” read a police statement. “Please avoid the area until further notice.” |
| Incumbent Labour candidate for Bolton South East, Yasmin Qureshi, warned people to stay away from the area and said she would be in contact with the emergency services. | Incumbent Labour candidate for Bolton South East, Yasmin Qureshi, warned people to stay away from the area and said she would be in contact with the emergency services. |
| She said on Twitter: “There is an ongoing incident in Bolton town centre and the emergency services are asking people to stay away from the area for the time being. I will be liaising with the police and fire services to stay informed of developments.” | She said on Twitter: “There is an ongoing incident in Bolton town centre and the emergency services are asking people to stay away from the area for the time being. I will be liaising with the police and fire services to stay informed of developments.” |