I HAVE LOST EVERYTHING
BUSINESSMAN TELLS OF HORROR AFTER FACTORY DESTROYED BY FIRE
A BUSINESS owner says he has been left with nothing after his factory was destroyed by a huge fire, which could have been caused by a gas leak.
Imperial Knitwear boss Anwar Hussain watched in horror as his livelihood went up in flames.
The blaze tore through the building, on Hyde Road in Ardwick, on Tuesday night.
It is understood the fire started in a neighbouring factory, Shawn Knitwear, before spreading to the Imperial Knitwear site.
Both buildings may have to be bulldozed.
As reported in yesterday’s M.E.N., m ore than 50 firefighters were scrambled to the scene, near the O2 Apollo, at around 7pm.
Crews worked through the night to bring the inferno under control.
Firefighters remained at the scene yesterday morning ‘dampening’ down the flames. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. One theory is that it was sparked by a gas leak, with a blast ripping through the building.
Witnesses reporting hearing a ‘blast’ and ‘explosions.’
Staff from the gas board were seen assisting firefighters among the wreckage yesterday morning. Photographs from the scene showed both buildings completely destroyed, with debris strewn across the site. Bricks were left embedded in the windscreens of parked cars, thought to be as a result of a blast. Some landed hundreds of yards away. Hyde Road, from Devonshire Street to the Apollo roundabout towards Manchester remained shut at noon yesterday.
Workers in the buildings said they ‘smelt something’ moments before the fire took hold.
Mr Hussain, who lives in Whalley Range, said: “I smelt something at 6pm. The alarms went off. I went to have a look.
“Something was burning inside the building, then the fire spread.
“I rang the fire brigade and looked outside, it was the whole building.
“Two people were inside the building, we managed to get them out. The fire was coming from the roof.”
He added: “My whole business is completely destroyed. We moved here last year in July, we’ve been here for just over a year.
“There is nothing left at all. It is too early to know when we’ll be back on our feet.”
Mohammed Saleem, 53, who runs Stylo Knitwear in a nearby industrial unit on Apsley Grove said he heard a loud bang coming from the buildings. “It definitely sounded like an explosion,” he said.
Mr Saleem said he looked out and saw smoke coming from the chimney then told his staff to get out.
“Within two minutes, the front wall collapsed and a few minutes later the roof caved in and we could see the flames and all the smoke,” he added.
“It was pretty scary. Staff at Imperial told me they smelt something funny and rang Shawn to let them know.
“It is sad to see something like this happen to someone so close. But it’s just lucky no one was hurt.”
The M.E.N. understands specialist from Cadent, which owns and operates gas infrastructure in the area, cut off the supply to the building.
Bosses said they have tested pipelines and that all are ‘sound.’
A spokesman said: “As the gas emergency service, Cadent assisted the fire and rescue service at the fire in Ardwick, Manchester.
“Our engineers isolated the gas supply to the building, which is routine when there is a large fire like this.
“We also tested our network – the pipes we own and operate – and they are sound. We will assist the emergency services as they investigate the cause.”
The owners of Shawn Knitwear have been contacted for comment.
My whole business is completely destroyed Anwar Hussain