A huge fire has ripped through a 12-storey apartment block in Manchester’s Northern Quarter today, Saturday December 30.
The fire service has confirmed one casualty so far, a person has been taken to hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation.
Images have flooded social media which show the flames of the blaze reaching up several floors.
The Lighthouse apartment block on Joiner Street is located close to Afflecks Palace, a large indoor market, and close to the city centre’s Piccadilly Gardens.
Serious apartment block fire in the City Centre. Avoid Church St area. pic.twitter.com/H0cRM3UwLP
— Les Gunn (@funny_gunny) December 30, 2017
A Manchester Fire and Rescue Service statement said:
We’re currently tackling a fire on the 9th floor of a 12 storey building on Joiner Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
Please avoid the area if possible and keep windows and doors shut if you live nearby.
Manchester-based photographer Pete Sheppard captured shocking images over the fire.
There's people on the flats below https://t.co/KPKm1yzx8v pic.twitter.com/42nJzMQVwV
— Pete Sheppard (@TonePhotog) December 30, 2017
Light building in central MCR https://t.co/f5tcXcUgsp pic.twitter.com/3fLYZQja2v
— Pete Sheppard (@TonePhotog) December 30, 2017
Firefighting was ongoing throughout the day and people were warned by the fire service to avoid the area.
We still have 12 fire appliances tackling the blaze in the Northern Quarter over a number of floors. Firefighting in still ongoing and one casualty has been taken to hospital suffer by smoke inhalation. Please avoid the area as roads are still shut. pic.twitter.com/911Ha4WKXj
— Manchester Fire (@manchesterfire) December 30, 2017
Those affected by the fire are in our thoughts.
Tim Horner is a sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated with a BA Journalism from University College Falmouth before most his colleagues were born. A previous editor of adult mags, he now enjoys bringing the tone down in the viral news sector.