Claims fire alarm didn’t sound as blaze hits student flats
CLAIMS FIRE ALARMS DIDN’T GO OFF AS BLAZE RIPPED THROUGH STOREROOM AT 17-STOREY STUDENT BLOCK
AN INVESTIGATION into a serious blaze at a high-rise student block is looking into claims the fire alarm failed to go off, the M.E.N. can reveal.
Students living at the 17-storey Unite Students Parkway Gate halls in the city centre say the alarm system in the building did not sound as the storeroom on the ground floor went up in flames. No one was injured in the incident and video released to the M.E.N. shows students being evacuated and running for cover.
Unite, which has five blocks in Manchester, say it has ‘robust’ safety systems in the building and ‘the safety of students is of the utmost importance.’
A spokeswoman for the company said they were aware of the claims regarding the alarm failure and they would be investigated.
Students said while the alarm in the building on fire did not go off, the ones in two adjoining blocks did. A fire brigade source confirmed the brigade had received reports that the alarm had not sounded in some areas and were working with the building’s managers to establish if this was correct and,if so, why.
Students were filmed fleeing from the building in Chester Street, as fire engulfed the storeroom. Twenty five firefighters tackled the blaze just after 10.30pm on Monday.
Ricky, 19, an engineering student who lives on the sixth floor, said: “We didn’t hear any fire alarm but saw the fire. We just left, we could smell the smoke, it was very strong. The two alarms in other blocks went off, but didn’t go off in ours.”
Jacob Bentley-York, 18, said: “The fire alarm in my entire block didn’t go off. I smelt smoke and could hear alarms going off in the distance from the other blocks.
“I came down and it was a relief. I got jeered by people from other