Firefighters remain on the scene of a fire which swept through a city centre building yesterday afternoon.
Crews were called to the Hotspur Press building on Cambridge Street in Manchester at 4.30pm, with firefighters declaring it as a major incident.
More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Yesterday afternoon (Monday 23 June) at around 4:30pm, firefighters were called to a the site of the Hotspur Press building on Cambridge Street in Manchester city centre. This was declared a major incident.
“Firefighters have been working hard overnight to extinguish the fire. At the height of the blaze, over 20 fire engines, two aerial units and over 100 firefighters were working at the scene in warm and humid conditions.
“The fire spread to several balconies at the two tower blocks at number 1 Cambridge Street, and we took the decision to evacuate all residents. Firefighters worked tirelessly to ensure all occupants made it out of the buildings safely and there are no reports of any occupants suffering ill health.
“Shortly after 9pm, the major incident was lifted. The occupants of one of those blocks have now been able to return home, while the other remains closed as we work with Manchester City Council and the building owner to make the building habitable again.
“Oxford Road station and the railway line have now reopened. Crews are still working on Gloucester Street and the main area around the mill, but the main roads of Whitworth Street and access off the Mancunian Way have reopened.
“Crews will be joined by specialist fire officers later this morning to begin investigating the cause of the fire, as well as assessing the extent of the structural damage to the building.
“We’d like to thank the public for allowing us to get on with the job last night under very challenging conditions.”
