Sun Alliance House, Bolton evacuated after reports of fire

Residents at the Sun Alliance House flats on Bradshawgate said they had to leave the building after a blaze reportedly started in the bin storage area at around 1.49pm on Saturday, September 7.

Firefighters and other emergency services were called to the scene, but several residents said they did not hear fire alarms sound before being told they had to leave.

One resident said: "I don't know if they will let us back in. The fire alarms didn't go off.

"It was the smoke smell and black dust that came through my window, then I posted on the group and then everyone checked, and we all got out of the building."

The building is several stories high (Image: Phil Taylor)

She added: "We had to message the group and knock on doors to let people know."

The Sun Alliance House in Bradshawgate is understood to be a mixed block of student accommodation and privately rented flats.

There are believed to be a total of 81 flats with a total of around 70 people living inside, with one man saying he pays £720 a month for a studio flat.

A fire engine on the scene (Image: Phil Taylor)

Several other residents also reported they had not heard any fire alarms either and instead only became aware via WhatsApp messages or knocks on their doors.

One man said he was not aware of the fire at all until a firefighter knocked on his door and told him he would need to leave the building.

Firefighters and police officers remained on the scene throughout much of Saturday afternoon but traffic was able to pass along Bradshawgate.

The building had to be evacuated (Image: Phil Taylor)

The fire is believed to have started in the bin storage area of the building, with a photo shared with the Bolton News showing several large bins overflowing with rubbish, believed to have been taken not long before the fire began.

A photograph of the bins believed to have been taken not long before the fire (Image: Public)

By around 3.30pm on Saturday, the police had left the scene, but several fire engines and firefighters remained.

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Just after 4pm another fire engine left the scene, and residents were told they could only return to the building to briefly collect things from inside.

As of 5pm, residents had not been able to re-enter the building and appeared to need to find alternative places to stay in the meantime.

Cllr Linda Thomas, who represents the area as part of the Queens Park and Central Ward, said she was "horrified" to hear about the fire but glad no one appeared to have been hurt.

She says that if it's true fire alarms did not go off then serious questions must be posed about safety in the building.