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Bolton fire: crews putting out 'last pockets of fire' at student housing building Two injured in large fire at student building in Bolton
(about 2 hours later)
Witnesses describe flames ‘crawling up cladding’ of six-storey building on BradshawgateWitnesses describe flames ‘crawling up cladding’ of six-storey building on Bradshawgate
Fire crews are putting out the “last pockets of fire” at a student accommodation building blaze in Bolton. Two people have been injured in a large fire at a student accommodation building in Bolton.
Images posted on social media showed firefighters tackling flames coming out of the windows on the top floors and “crawling up the cladding” of a building known as the Cube on Bradshawgate. Images posted on social media showed firefighters tackling the blaze on the top floors of a six-storey building known as the Cube on Bradshawgate at about 8.30pm on Friday.
Greater Manchester fire and rescue service (GMFRS) said at the fire’s peak, 40 fire engines and appliances and around 200 firefighters had been at the scene. By 5.30am resources had been scaled back to six engines, as crews tackled “the last few pockets of fire”, GMFRS said. Greater Manchester fire and rescue service (GMFRS) confirmed paramedics had treated two people at the scene, including one person rescued by crews via an aerial platform.
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.” A spokesman said more than 40 fire engines were still at the scene on Saturday morning tackling “the last few fighting pockets of fire” in the building, which had been evacuated.
Two people were treated by paramedics at the scene, including one person who was rescued by crews using an aerial platform. One witness described the fire as “crawl[ing] up the cladding like it was nothing”.
“Local residents are being asked to keep their windows and doors shut and avoid the area where possible,” a fire service statement read. Ace Love, 35, said: “The fire kept getting more intense, climbing up and to the right because the wind was blowing so hard. We could see it bubbling from the outside and then being engulfed from the outside.
One eyewitness described the fire as “crawl[ing] up the cladding like it was nothing”.
University of Bolton student Shannon Parker, 22, who lives in the building, said: “I was in my room whilst it was happening. I heard the fire alarm going off but it kept on going off so I just thought it was a drill at first until one of my flatmates shouted down the corridor that it was a real fire.
“So I ran out the flat as quickly as I could and I saw that it was one of the flats below mine and we went out by the fire exit.”
Another eyewitness, Ace Love, 35, said: “The fire kept getting more intense, climbing up and to the right because the wind was blowing so hard.
“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.”
The fire broke out at 8.30pm on Friday night. Roads were closed and there was a large amount of smoke in the area. Greater Manchester police also said they were at the scene. The University of Bolton student Shannon Parker, 22, who lives in the building, told PA Media: “I was in my room whilst it was happening. I heard the fire alarm going off but it kept on going off so I just thought it was a drill at first until one of my flatmates shouted down the corridor that it was a real fire.
The GMFRS put out a statement quoting the University of Bolton’s vice chancellor, Prof George Holmes, in which he said: “We have assisted in ensuring students have been given temporary alternative accommodation at the Orlando student halls and in some Bolton hotels. “So I ran out of the flat as quickly as I could and I saw that it was one of the flats below mine and we went out by the fire exit.”
“I would like to stress that The Cube is not owned by the University of Bolton. It is owned and managed by a private landlord and the students were not on our premises when during this incident,” Holmes’s statement added. She said she was being relocated to either a nearby hotel or another student accommodation building. Authorities have asked anyone who was living at or visiting the Cube to register at the nearby Orlando Village student accommodation facility.
Emergency services said crews would remain on the scene for several more hours. “We have divided the fire itself into four sectors of firefighting, allowing us to target our efforts on particular hotspots,” the GMFRS area manager, Jim Hutton, said. “While the building does remain on fire, we are doing all we can to stay on top of this situation and soon extinguish the flames.”
Road closures remain in place around the area.
Prof George E Holmes DL, the president and vice-chancellor of the University of Bolton, said: “Supporting the welfare of our students is our No 1 priority and we have moved swiftly to assist in any way we can. University colleagues have worked through the night to make sure support is in place for students over the weekend.
“We have assisted in ensuring students have been given temporary alternative accommodation at the Orlando student halls and in some Bolton hotels. We have also arranged to provide necessities such as toiletries for all students affected and are opening the university over the weekend so students can be supported. We will also provide food for them.
“I would like to stress that the Cube is not owned by the University of Bolton. It is owned and managed by a private landlord and the students were not on our premises during this incident.”
The housing, communities and local government secretary, Robert Jenrick, tweeted to say officials were ready to offer assistance if required.
The 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.”