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| A man jumped from the first floor before trying to rescue other residents. Photo: BBC |
A woman and three children have died after a house fire in
Bolton.
Bolton.
The blaze broke out at Rosamond Street in the Daubhill area
of the town just after 09:00 BST.
of the town just after 09:00 BST.
A man managed to jump from a first floor window but two boys
and a girl – all under the age of 13 – and a woman were still inside.
and a girl – all under the age of 13 – and a woman were still inside.
One of the children was pronounced dead at the scene and the
woman and two other children died later in hospital, Greater Manchester Police
(GMP) said.
woman and two other children died later in hospital, Greater Manchester Police
(GMP) said.
The force said it was currently not treating the fire as
suspicious, BBC reported.
suspicious, BBC reported.
One resident said: “It’s terrible, absolutely terrible.
I saw them bringing people out. They were doing chest compressions.
I saw them bringing people out. They were doing chest compressions.
“I saw them bring two out and then they put a green
sheet up.”
sheet up.”
She said she was first alerted to a “commotion”
when she heard a man “banging on a door” of one of the terraced
houses.
when she heard a man “banging on a door” of one of the terraced
houses.
“There was just a load of hammering… I went to the
window and saw smoke billowing.
window and saw smoke billowing.
“When I saw him after, he had his hands bandaged up and
his head.”
his head.”
Assistant fire officer Tony Hunter said the man was believed
to be the children’s father and had tried to get back into the property to
rescue them and their mother jumping from the first floor.
to be the children’s father and had tried to get back into the property to
rescue them and their mother jumping from the first floor.
He is currently being treated in hospital.
Mr Hunter added firefighters had to use a specialist tool to
break the front door down. They found the heat had been so “intense”
it had burnt off plaster on the walls to reveal the brick underneath, he said.
break the front door down. They found the heat had been so “intense”
it had burnt off plaster on the walls to reveal the brick underneath, he said.
Police have launched a joint investigation with Manchester
Fire and Rescue into the cause of the blaze.
Fire and Rescue into the cause of the blaze.
Det Ch Insp Chris Bridge, from GMP, said: “These are
utterly heartbreaking circumstances and our thoughts go out to anyone affected
by this tragic incident.
utterly heartbreaking circumstances and our thoughts go out to anyone affected
by this tragic incident.
“This happened on a Saturday morning when many people
would be up and about and I would appeal to anyone with any information about
this incident to please call us.”
would be up and about and I would appeal to anyone with any information about
this incident to please call us.”
The fire, which has now been extinguished, led to the
temporary closure of nearby roads.
temporary closure of nearby roads.
Manchester Fire and Rescue tweeted: “Our deepest
condolences go to the family and the community. We will be in the local area in
the coming days reassuring residents.”
condolences go to the family and the community. We will be in the local area in
the coming days reassuring residents.”
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham posted on Twitter:
“Dreadful news coming out of Bolton today. My thoughts are with the
family, their friends and the whole community.”
“Dreadful news coming out of Bolton today. My thoughts are with the
family, their friends and the whole community.”
