Fire at student block of flats in Bolton.

[HelenaDove]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-50438177

A huge fire has broken out at a university student accommodation block.

Crowds of students have been evacuated from the building in Bradshawgate in Bolton and police have urged people to avoid the area.

One witness said the fire was "climbing up" the building and "bubbling from the outside

Great Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said 25 fire engines had been at the scene since about 20:30 GMT. It is not known if there are any injuries.

A spokeswoman said there were also three cherry pickers being used to tackle the fire at the six-storey block

Videos posted on social media show debris falling from the building and firefighters tackling flames coming out of the windows on the top floors.

One student tweeted to say she had to leave her belongings and added: "But the main thing is I'm out and I'm safe

Witness 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," he added.

"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

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bolton-fire-latest-updates-student-flats-bradshawgate-a9205256.html

"crawling up the cladding like it was nothing" according to eyewitnesses.

Why on earth are these blocks of flats, over two years after Grenfell, STILL not safe and fireproof?
Lets hope everyone is out safely.

Eddie Daffarns words were "Grenfell Mark 2 is in the post"

I hope everyone has got out and that there are no injuries.

I've just heard there are no injuries.

How awful. Thinking of when I was a student (nearly 40 years ago) and we sometimes didn’t bother evacuating when the fire alarm went off. Hope to God they are all out.

Hoping everyone gets out safely.
How frightening.

Luke Beech
@LukeBeechArtist
·
1h
Bolton students reassured that the cladding not an issue in 2017. Some videos of current fire circulating initially look contrary. Withholding judgement until investigated further. theboltonnews.co.uk/news/15375081.amp/?__twitter_impression=true #Boltonfire

At least they are young and fit. With any luck they got each other out. We can only wait now.

The Bolton News
28 June 17
More News >
Students assured that flats at The Cube, in Bradshawgate, do not have same dangerous cladding as Grenfell Tower

STUDENTS living in the town centre have been reassured that their flats are safe, following inspections triggered by the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Fire safety officers visited The Cube, in Bradshawgate, following the tragedy — but the building does not use the same cladding that contributed to the London disaster.

Angela McKinney, operations manager for student accommodation owner DIGS, said that the building had staff on site 24/7 and that residents would be evacuated if there is a fire.

She said that safety inspectors were "happy" with what they had seen at The Cube, and added: "When any further legislation or reviews are published we will be reviewing our procedures accordingly.

www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/15375081.amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Hope to god everyone is out. I suppose with it being student accom there may be some sort of roll call possible.

Perking- when I was in student accommodation for a term as a mature student a few years ago, the youngsters always had people over to stay at weekend. Sleeping in the bedrooms, hallways and common areas, our 8 person flat once had over 30 people staying there.
They unfortunately won't have a clue how many people were in there.

I know. Any list won't be 100% accurate – but at least anyone visiting will be the guest of someone who is on a list (if the university or building management has one).

Whereas Grenfell was in mixed ownership, and I doubt had anything close. I could be wrong.

Anyway, I hope in Manchester they have indeed been able to establish that all tenants and known guests are out.

Everyone out and safe apparently. Family member just called, and is in emergency services there.

Oh that's good news, fazackerley.

Thats good news.

I'm local and there is a massive outpouring of help, as far as we are aware all are out and accounted for......no injuries... thankfully!

There are reports that the walls were 'melting'.

I've also see comments from people who said they gave worked on the building, 2 that stick out are one guy who was part of the building team 'confirming' cheap, plastic cladding was used.

The other was a Sky engineer who attempted to fit a dish, each attempt resulted in it falling from the wall and him having to go as far back as the steal beams in order to secure it.

More investigations are needed, this building passed the cladding investigations in 2017, tonight's fire has shown the building/materials weren't safe.

I wonder what the hell it will take for certain organisations to pull their finger out.

Millennial Jesus
@kateway_25
The fire alarms in our rooms didn’t even go off ! It took banging on people’s doors and screaming “it’s a real fire” to get everyone out

My whole life is in that room and not knowing what possessions I still have is horrible

We don’t know what to do now

GoodNight

#boltonfire

I'm local too, as far as I'm aware according to the Bolton news on line three people were injured ?It seems like it was cladding again

I suppose with it being student accom there may be some sort of roll call possible.

Well, not really. You know who the room is let to, not who is in / out for the night / away for the weekend / staying over with friends.

I'm not 100% sure if they have managed to confirm the whereabouts of everyone yet, I know there has been numerous requests from GM Fire for people to make themselves known if they haven't already.

I just hope this is the last before lessons are truly learnt, as if there hasn't been any fatalities (I sincerely hope there hasn't) and hopefully the now 3 reported injured are going to fully recover, it has been nothing short of amazing after seeing the flames raging last night.
The Emergency Services have excelled themselves again with their response, and absolute professionalism in dealing with what could have been so, so much worse.

Looks like the fire brigade were all over this.
Hoping it stays at three injuries (a miracle) and they recover swiftly.

We've only just started paying the price for these capitalist vultures money saving schemes.
There will be more.

The fire service has said that it wasn't the same type of cladding used on Grenfell which I find very worrying. Hope everyone is safe, poor students.

That's the problem MissCS they've only tested certain cladding, there's no limit to the amount of inferior materials out there the people could be sitting in a tinderbox but it's ok, as long as profit is made ofc.