Inferno Erupts in Bury Town Centre
A significant fire broke out at a landmark listed building in the heart of Bury during the early hours of this morning, sending plumes of black smoke across the town and causing bricks to fall from the structure.
The blaze started at around 2am on Monday, November 24, affecting the upper floors of a property located on The Rock. Eyewitnesses reported seeing flames repeatedly flare up as emergency services worked to contain the incident.
Emergency Response and Scene Details
Four fire engines from Bury, Whitefield, Heywood, and Ramsbottom fire stations were dispatched to the scene, supported by a turntable ladder from Bolton Central. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reels to tackle the flames on the fifth and sixth floors of the building.
An 18-year-old eyewitness, Tiffany Nield, described the intense scene to the Manchester Evening News. She stated that firefighters were visible on both sides of the building, working diligently to extinguish the fire which proved difficult to control. "It kept going back up into flames, despite their best attempts, and it took quite a while for them to get the fire out," she said. Ms. Nield also noted that the entire area was covered in dark smoke and that crews were seen flashing lights into windows to check for any occupants as bricks fell from the facade.
Aftermath and Building's Recent History
The road adjacent to the building remained cordoned off throughout the morning and into the afternoon, with visible damage sustained to the roof. Crews stayed on site to monitor for hotspots and ensure public safety.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police indicated that the fire is not currently being treated as suspicious.
The affected structure is a Grade II listed building, constructed around 1874. Its recent history involves planning applications for conversion into flats. While permission was granted in 2022 to create seven flats within parts of the building, a subsequent application last month to include the fourth floor and increase the total to ten flats was refused by Bury Council. A decision notice from October 17 cited that several of the proposed flats would fail to meet nationally described space standards.
