Building partly collapses after major fire

A fire that broke out at a landmark Manchester city centre building - causing it to partly collapse - spread to a neighbouring tower block.

Embers from the blaze at Hotspur House reached 1 Cambridge Street, resulting in the evacuation of residents from the building, Greater Manchester Fire And Rescue Service (GMFRS) told the BBC at the scene. However, it added the fire was no longer being treated as a major incident.

Anyone who has nowhere to go is set to be put up overnight by Manchester City Council.

The fire at the former printing press building broke out at about 17:00 GMT, forcing the cancellation of all trains through Manchester Oxford Road station.

The fire service urged the public to stay away from the area and said 20 fire engines from across Greater Manchester were on the scene.

A spokesperson said the blaze had spread to three floors of Hotspur House, and aerial units had been used to bring the fire under control.

The spokesman added: "The two apartment blocks at number 1 Cambridge Street have been evacuated.

"A cordon is in place on Cambridge Street and we ask that the public stay away from the area.

"Residents nearby should keep doors and windows closed due to smoke in the area."

Footage taken at the scene showed parts of Hotspur House had collapsed.

National Rail said all lines were blocked and warned that services running through the station may be cancelled or delayed until 21:00 BST.

It said rail replacement buses were running for Northern customers from Manchester Oxford Road at 18:20 BST and 18:25, calling at all stops to Warrington Central.

There have been no further updates on disruption to rail services.

Buses were also leaving Warrington Central at the same times, calling at all stops to Manchester Oxford Road.

A bus will depart Manchester Oxford Road at 19:00, calling at all stops to Earlestown.

TransPennine Express said rail replacement buses had been requested for the following routes:

East Midlands Railway said it had bus replacements services on standby at Warrington Central, Stockport and Sheffield.

TransPennine Express said customers at Liverpool Lime Street could use their ticket at no extra cost to travel on TransPennine Express services to Manchester Victoria.

It also advised customers at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Oxford Road to use the free Transport for Greater Manchester bus link to Manchester Victoria, where they could change for connecting services towards Liverpool.

The fire-hit building, also known as Medlock Mill, closed as a printing site in 1996.

Developer Manners plan to regenerate the historic building into a 36-storey student tower was given planning permission in May 2024.

However, it recently redesigned its proposals and they will now be submitted to Manchester City Council, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said earlier this month.

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