Fire at The Cube, Bolton - Revision history

Designing Buildings at 14:55, 8 May 2024

2024-05-08T14:55:21Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:55, 8 May 2024
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	* Torre Windsor office building fire.		* Torre Windsor office building fire.

−	[[Category:DCN_News]] [[Category:DCN_Product_Knowledge]] [[Category:DCN_Project_Knowledge]] [[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]	+	[[Category:DCN_News]] [[Category:DCN_Product_Knowledge]] [[Category:DCN_Project_Knowledge]] [[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Building_safety]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]

Designing Buildings at 07:11, 8 January 2021

2021-01-08T07:11:13Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:11, 8 January 2021
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	* Torre Windsor office building fire.		* Torre Windsor office building fire.

−	[[Category:~~News~~]] [[Category:~~DCN_News~~]] [[Category:~~Projects_and_case_studies~~]] [[Category:~~DCN_Project_Knowledge~~]] [[Category:~~Construction_techniques~~]] [[Category:~~Design~~]] [[Category:~~Products_/_components~~]] [[Category:~~DCN_Product_Knowledge~~]]	+	[[Category:DCN_News]] [[Category:DCN_Product_Knowledge]] [[Category:DCN_Project_Knowledge]] [[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]

Designing Buildings at 10:24, 23 January 2020

2020-01-23T10:24:15Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:24, 23 January 2020
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	Following the fire, there were calls for the ban on combustible materials in the cladding of buildings to be extended. For more information see: Combustibility.		Following the fire, there were calls for the ban on combustible materials in the cladding of buildings to be extended. For more information see: Combustibility.
		+
		+	In January 2020, partly in response to the fire, the government launched a consultation into the combustible cladding ban, including proposals to lower the 18 metre height threshold to at least 11 metres. For more information see: Reform of building safety standards.

	= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =		= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =
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	* HPL cladding.		* HPL cladding.
	* Rainscreen cladding.		* Rainscreen cladding.
		+	* Reform of building safety standards.
	* Ronan Point.		* Ronan Point.
	* Torre Windsor office building fire.		* Torre Windsor office building fire.

−	[[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]	+	[[Category:News]] [[Category:DCN_News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:DCN_Project_Knowledge]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]] [[Category:DCN_Product_Knowledge]]

Designing Buildings at 07:29, 20 November 2019

2019-11-20T07:29:34Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:29, 20 November 2019
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	Fire Brigades Union general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “This is not how any building should react to a fire in the 21st century, let alone a building in which people live,”		Fire Brigades Union general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “This is not how any building should react to a fire in the 21st century, let alone a building in which people live,”
		+
		+	Following the fire, there were calls for the ban on combustible materials in the cladding of buildings to be extended. For more information see: Combustibility.

	= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =		= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =
Line 40:		Line 42:
	* Grenfell Tower independent expert advisory panel.		* Grenfell Tower independent expert advisory panel.
	* Grenfell Tower Inquiry.		* Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
−	* Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report.
	* Hackitt report.		* Hackitt report.
	* HPL cladding.		* HPL cladding.

Designing Buildings at 07:25, 20 November 2019

2019-11-20T07:25:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:25, 20 November 2019
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	* ACM cladding.		* ACM cladding.
		+	* Combustibility.
	* Fire.		* Fire.
	* Fire safety design.		* Fire safety design.
Line 40:		Line 41:
	* Grenfell Tower Inquiry.		* Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
	* Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report.		* Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report.
		+	* Hackitt report.
	* HPL cladding.		* HPL cladding.
		+	* Rainscreen cladding.
	* Ronan Point.		* Ronan Point.
	* Torre Windsor office building fire.		* Torre Windsor office building fire.

	[[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]		[[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]

Designing Buildings at 08:02, 19 November 2019

2019-11-19T08:02:44Z

Designing Buildings at 07:13, 19 November 2019

2019-11-19T07:13:42Z

Designing Buildings at 07:03, 19 November 2019

2019-11-19T07:03:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:03, 19 November 2019
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−	~~On 15~~ November 2019, a fire at a ~~six~~-storey ~~block of student~~ accommodation in Bolton ~~injured two people~~, ~~requiring~~ 40 fire engines and ~~200 fire fighters to quell the blaze. All 211 residents were accounted for by the following morning~~.	+	At 20.29 on November 15, 2019, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire at the Cube, a 6-storey building providing residential accommodation for students on Bradshawgate, Bolton. The fire started on the fourth floor but quickly spread to the sixth floor, and around 200 firefighters and 40 fire engines and specialist appliances responded.

	Fire officers at the scene said the blaze started on the fourth floor and, fanned by the wind, spread “extremely quickly” via the exterior of the building to the sixth floor. Witnesses said that what seemed to have been a small fire ripped across and upwards within minutes, “crawling up the building as if it was nothing.” Some students at the scene said that the fire alarms were not loud enough while others complained that they were falsely triggered sometimes several times a day but ‘you get used to it’.		Fire officers at the scene said the blaze started on the fourth floor and, fanned by the wind, spread “extremely quickly” via the exterior of the building to the sixth floor. Witnesses said that what seemed to have been a small fire ripped across and upwards within minutes, “crawling up the building as if it was nothing.” Some students at the scene said that the fire alarms were not loud enough while others complained that they were falsely triggered sometimes several times a day but ‘you get used to it’.

−	Pictures taken from the top of Bolton parish church showed that the sixth floor had been completely gutted by the blaze, while the fourth and fifth floors were visibly damaged~~. At six storeys-high and below 18m, the building is not classified as a high-rise building~~. According to some commentators, the building may have to be demolished.	+	Pictures taken from the top of Bolton parish church showed that the sixth floor had been completely gutted by the blaze, while the fourth and fifth floors were visibly damaged. According to some commentators, the building may have to be demolished.

−	~~That there~~ were ~~no fatalities may have been in part due~~ to the ~~fact that an effective rescue plan had been implemented~~. ~~Only the day before, Greater Manchester fire officers had carried out post-Grenfell-style rescue training as part of a plan devised~~ by ~~Greater Manchester’s High-Rise Task Force. The plan was implemented for the first time~~ at the ~~Cube where~~ one ~~team fought the blaze while a second carried out the evacuation plan~~.	+	A Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to say that contact has been made with the 220 residents that were registered to the building”. Two people were treated by paramedics at the scene, including one person who was rescued by crews using an aerial platform.

−	~~An investigation is currently under way into the cause of the fire. It was speculated~~ that ~~given the rapid rate of fire spread upward along the building’s facade, similar to the 2017 fire at Grenfell Tower, the cladding~~ may have been ~~a contributory factor~~. ~~However~~, ~~Dave Keelan, assistant chief~~ fire ~~officer~~ of Greater ~~Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), confirmed that the building~~ was ~~not clad in~~ the ~~same material as Grenfell~~.	+	The fact that there were no fatalities may have been in part due to an effective rescue plan being implemented. Only the day before, Greater Manchester fire officers had carried out post-Grenfell-style rescue training as part of a plan devised by Greater Manchester’s High-Rise Task Force. The plan was implemented for the first time at the Cube where one team fought the blaze while a second carried out the evacuation plan.

−	~~Located at Bradshawgate in the town centre, The Cube opened in 2015 following a conversion from offices. It is managed by Valeo Urban Student Life (VUSL) which is not linked~~ to the ~~university. The building was inspected by GMFRS in 2017 which determined that it did not have ACM~~ cladding~~. Following this assessment,~~ the ~~owners carried out remedial work to both buildings~~.	+	An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the fire and the affect cladding had on the fire spread.

−	~~In the aftermath of~~ the ~~fire~~, ~~Salford mayor Paul Dennett confirmed that~~ the building ~~was clad~~ in high-~~pressure laminate, not aluminium composite material (ACM). “We were aware~~ of the ~~cladding system on this building and interim measures were in place but every apartment had a~~ fire ~~alarm and each floor had an air horn”, he said~~.	+	The Cube opened in 2015 following a conversion from offices. It is managed by Valeo Urban Student Life (VUSL) which is not linked to the university. There are two buildings in The Cube, Phase 1 is classified as a high rise building and Phase 2 (the building involved in the fire) is recorded as being under 18 metres and therefore not classified as a high rise building - meaning it is outside the scope of many of the changes introduced following the Grenfell fire.

−	~~Mr Dennett added~~: “At the moment, we have a cladding lottery: the government has made resources available for ACM, [but] this is high-pressure laminate so we will be asking government for more money and funding to deal with what is an industrial crisis that the UK is facing in terms of cladding on buildings. There is a lot of work to be done.”	+	GMFRS confirmed that they had inspected the building in 2017 following the fire at Grenfell Tower, and it had been established that the building did not have Aluminium Composite Material cladding (ACM cladding). They subsequently requested the fire risk assessment be reviewed and the materials used in the cladding system were identified and assessed.
		+
		+	It is thought that the building has High Pressure Laminate cladding (HPL cladding). HPL cladding panels are typically manufactured by layering sheets of wood or paper fibre with a resin and bonding them under heat and pressure. They sometimes include additional chemicals to provide fire retardant properties.
		+
		+	Following the Grenfell Tower Fire and subsequent concerns regarding the fire performance of cladding panels, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) conducted a BS8414 test of a cladding system comprising an HPL panel with fire retardant (Class B-s1, d0) together with stone wool insulation. It was considered that HPL cladding should not be used in an external wall when carrying out building works on new residential buildings of 18m or more. However, the level of risk from unsafe HPL systems was not as high as the risk from unsafe systems using ACM Category 3 panels.
		+
		+	For more information see: HPL cladding.
		+
		+	Salford mayor Paul Dennett confirmed that the building was clad in high-pressure laminate, not aluminium composite material (ACM). “We were aware of the cladding system on this building and interim measures were in place but every apartment had a fire alarm and each floor had an air horn… “At the moment, we have a cladding lottery: the government has made resources available for ACM, [but] this is high-pressure laminate so we will be asking government for more money and funding to deal with what is an industrial crisis that the UK is facing in terms of cladding on buildings. There is a lot of work to be done.
		+
		+	A spokesperson for the MHCLG said: “Building owners must ensure their tenants can live safely in their homes and this means all cladding systems, including HPL, that do not conform to our strict building safety standards must be removed.” This statement ignores the fact that the Cube is not more than 18m tall.
		+
		+	The Fire Brigades Union general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “This is not how any building should react to a fire in the 21st century, let alone a building in which people live,”

	= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =		= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =

	* ACM cladding.		* ACM cladding.
−	* Approved Document B.	+	* Fire.
−	* BS 8414 Fire performance of external cladding systems.	+	* Fire safety design.
−	* Building a safer future: an implementation plan.	+
−	* Celotex RS5000 PIR insulation.	+
−	* CIBSE updates Fire Safety Engineering guidance.	+
−	* Cladding for buildings.	+
−	* Consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings.	+
−	* Evacuating vulnerable and dependent people from buildings in an emergency FB 52.	+
−	* Fire ~~performance of external thermal insulation for walls of multi-storey buildings, third edition (BR 135)~~.	+
−	* Fire ~~risk in high-rise and super high-rise buildings DG 533~~.	+
	* Glasgow School of Art fire.		* Glasgow School of Art fire.
−	* Grenfell fire door investigation.
	* Grenfell Tower articles.		* Grenfell Tower articles.
		+	* Grenfell Tower fire.
	* Grenfell Tower independent expert advisory panel.		* Grenfell Tower independent expert advisory panel.
	* Grenfell Tower Inquiry.		* Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
	* Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report.		* Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report.
−	* ~~ICE Grenfell Tower review.~~	+	* HPL cladding.
−	* Independent review of the building regulations and fire safety.	+
−	* Lakanal House fire.	+
−	* Qualitative design review.	+
	* Ronan Point.		* Ronan Point.
−	* The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
	* Torre Windsor office building fire.		* Torre Windsor office building fire.

	[[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]		[[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]

Editor: Created page with "On 15 November 2019, a fire at a six-storey block of student accommodation in Bolton injured two people, requiring 40 fire engines and 200 fire fighters to quell the blaze. All 2..."

2019-11-18T17:56:56Z

Created page with "On 15 November 2019, a fire at a six-storey block of student accommodation in Bolton injured two people, requiring 40 fire engines and 200 fire fighters to quell the blaze. All 2..."

New page

On 15 November 2019, a fire at a six-storey block of student accommodation in Bolton injured two people, requiring 40 fire engines and 200 fire fighters to quell the blaze. All 211 residents were accounted for by the following morning.

Fire officers at the scene said the blaze started on the fourth floor and, fanned by the wind, spread “extremely quickly” via the exterior of the building to the sixth floor. Witnesses said that what seemed to have been a small fire ripped across and upwards within minutes, “crawling up the building as if it was nothing.” Some students at the scene said that the fire alarms were not loud enough while others complained that they were falsely triggered sometimes several times a day but ‘you get used to it’.

Pictures taken from the top of Bolton parish church showed that the sixth floor had been completely gutted by the blaze, while the fourth and fifth floors were visibly damaged. At six storeys-high and below 18m, the building is not classified as a high-rise building. According to some commentators, the building may have to be demolished.

That there were no fatalities may have been in part due to the fact that an effective rescue plan had been implemented. Only the day before, Greater Manchester fire officers had carried out post-Grenfell-style rescue training as part of a plan devised by Greater Manchester’s High-Rise Task Force. The plan was implemented for the first time at the Cube where one team fought the blaze while a second carried out the evacuation plan.

An investigation is currently under way into the cause of the fire. It was speculated that given the rapid rate of fire spread upward along the building’s facade, similar to the 2017 fire at Grenfell Tower, the cladding may have been a contributory factor. However, Dave Keelan, assistant chief fire officer of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), confirmed that the building was not clad in the same material as Grenfell.

Located at Bradshawgate in the town centre, The Cube opened in 2015 following a conversion from offices. It is managed by Valeo Urban Student Life (VUSL) which is not linked to the university. The building was inspected by GMFRS in 2017 which determined that it did not have ACM cladding. Following this assessment, the owners carried out remedial work to both buildings.

In the aftermath of the fire, Salford mayor Paul Dennett confirmed that the building was clad in high-pressure laminate, not aluminium composite material (ACM). “We were aware of the cladding system on this building and interim measures were in place but every apartment had a fire alarm and each floor had an air horn”, he said.

Mr Dennett added: “At the moment, we have a cladding lottery: the government has made resources available for ACM, [but] this is high-pressure laminate so we will be asking government for more money and funding to deal with what is an industrial crisis that the UK is facing in terms of cladding on buildings. There is a lot of work to be done.”

= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =

* ACM cladding.
* Approved Document B.
* BS 8414 Fire performance of external cladding systems.
* Building a safer future: an implementation plan.
* Celotex RS5000 PIR insulation.
* CIBSE updates Fire Safety Engineering guidance.
* Cladding for buildings.
* Consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings.
* Evacuating vulnerable and dependent people from buildings in an emergency FB 52.
* Fire performance of external thermal insulation for walls of multi-storey buildings, third edition (BR 135).
* Fire risk in high-rise and super high-rise buildings DG 533.
* Glasgow School of Art fire.
* Grenfell fire door investigation.
* Grenfell Tower articles.
* Grenfell Tower independent expert advisory panel.
* Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
* Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report.
* ICE Grenfell Tower review.
* Independent review of the building regulations and fire safety.
* Lakanal House fire.
* Qualitative design review.
* Ronan Point.
* The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
* Torre Windsor office building fire.

[[Category:News]] [[Category:Projects_and_case_studies]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Products_/_components]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:02, 19 November 2019
Line 5:		Line 5:
	Pictures taken from the top of Bolton parish church showed the sixth floor had been completely gutted by the blaze, while the fourth and fifth floors were visibly damaged. According to some commentators, the building may have to be demolished.		Pictures taken from the top of Bolton parish church showed the sixth floor had been completely gutted by the blaze, while the fourth and fifth floors were visibly damaged. According to some commentators, the building may have to be demolished.

−	A GMFRS spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to say that contact has been made with the 220 residents that were registered to the building”. ~~Two~~ people were treated by paramedics at the scene, including one person who was rescued by crews using an aerial platform.	+	A GMFRS spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to say that contact has been made with the 220 residents that were registered to the building”. However, two people were treated by paramedics at the scene, including one person who was rescued by crews using an aerial platform.

	The fact that there were no fatalities may have been in part due to the implementation of an effective rescue plan. Only the day before, Greater Manchester fire officers had carried out rescue training as part of a plan devised by Greater Manchester’s High-Rise Task Force. The plan was implemented for the first time at the Cube where one team fought the blaze while a second carried out the evacuation plan.		The fact that there were no fatalities may have been in part due to the implementation of an effective rescue plan. Only the day before, Greater Manchester fire officers had carried out rescue training as part of a plan devised by Greater Manchester’s High-Rise Task Force. The plan was implemented for the first time at the Cube where one team fought the blaze while a second carried out the evacuation plan.

−	An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the fire and the impact cladding had on ~~the~~ fire spread.	+	An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the fire and the impact cladding had on fire spread.

	The Cube opened in 2015 and is managed by Valeo Urban Student Life (VUSL) which is not linked to the university. There are two buildings, Phase 1 is classified as a high rise building and Phase 2 (the building involved in the fire) is recorded as being under 18 metres tall and therefore it is not classified as a high-rise building - meaning it is outside the scope of many of the changes introduced following the Grenfell Tower fire.		The Cube opened in 2015 and is managed by Valeo Urban Student Life (VUSL) which is not linked to the university. There are two buildings, Phase 1 is classified as a high rise building and Phase 2 (the building involved in the fire) is recorded as being under 18 metres tall and therefore it is not classified as a high-rise building - meaning it is outside the scope of many of the changes introduced following the Grenfell Tower fire.
Line 15:		Line 15:
	GMFRS confirmed that they had inspected the building in 2017 following the Grenfell fire, and it had been established that the building did not have Aluminium Composite Material cladding (ACM cladding). They subsequently requested a review of the fire risk assessment and the materials used in the cladding system were identified and assessed.		GMFRS confirmed that they had inspected the building in 2017 following the Grenfell fire, and it had been established that the building did not have Aluminium Composite Material cladding (ACM cladding). They subsequently requested a review of the fire risk assessment and the materials used in the cladding system were identified and assessed.

−	It is thought that the building has High Pressure Laminate cladding (HPL cladding). HPL cladding panels are typically manufactured by layering sheets of wood or paper fibre with a resin and bonding them under heat and pressure. They sometimes include additional chemicals to provide fire retardant properties.	+	It is thought that the building has High-Pressure Laminate cladding (HPL cladding). HPL cladding panels are typically manufactured by layering sheets of wood or paper fibre with resin and bonding them under heat and pressure. They sometimes include additional chemicals to provide fire-retardant properties.

−	Following the Grenfell fire, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) conducted a BS8414 test of a cladding system comprising an HPL panel with fire retardant (Class B-s1, d0) together with stone wool insulation. It was considered that HPL cladding should not be used in an external wall when carrying out building works on new residential buildings of 18m or more. However, the level of risk from unsafe HPL systems was not as high as the risk from unsafe systems using ACM Category 3 panels.	+	Following the Grenfell fire, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) conducted a BS8414 test of a cladding system comprising an HPL panel with fire retardant (Class B-s1, d0) together with stone wool insulation. It was considered that HPL cladding should not be used in an external wall when carrying out building works on new residential buildings of 18m or more. However, the level of risk from unsafe HPL systems was not thought to be as high as the risk from unsafe systems using ACM Category 3 panels.

	For more information see: HPL cladding.		For more information see: HPL cladding.

−	Salford mayor Paul Dennett confirmed that the building was clad with HPL cladding: “We were aware of the cladding system on this building and interim measures were in place but every apartment had a fire alarm and each floor had an air horn… ~~“At~~ the moment, we have a cladding lottery: the government has made resources available for ACM, [but] this is high-pressure laminate so we will be asking government for more money and funding to deal with what is an industrial crisis that the UK is facing in terms of cladding on buildings. There is a lot of work to be done.	+	Salford mayor Paul Dennett confirmed that the building was clad with HPL cladding, saying: “We were aware of the cladding system on this building and interim measures were in place but every apartment had a fire alarm and each floor had an air horn… At the moment, we have a cladding lottery: the government has made resources available for ACM, [but] this is high-pressure laminate so we will be asking government for more money and funding to deal with what is an industrial crisis that the UK is facing in terms of cladding on buildings. There is a lot of work to be done."

	A spokesperson for the MHCLG said: “Building owners must ensure their tenants can live safely in their homes and this means all cladding systems, including HPL, that do not conform to our strict building safety standards must be removed.”		A spokesperson for the MHCLG said: “Building owners must ensure their tenants can live safely in their homes and this means all cladding systems, including HPL, that do not conform to our strict building safety standards must be removed.”

−	Both these statements ignore the fact that the Cube is not more than 18m tall and so the policy changes introduced following the Grenfell fire do not apply.	+	Both these statements ignore the fact that the Cube is not more than 18m tall and so many of the policy changes introduced following the Grenfell fire do not apply.

−	~~The~~ Fire Brigades Union general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “This is not how any building should react to a fire in the 21st century, let alone a building in which people live,”	+	Fire Brigades Union general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “This is not how any building should react to a fire in the 21st century, let alone a building in which people live,”

	= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =		= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:13, 19 November 2019
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	At 20.29 on November 15, 2019, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire at the Cube, a 6-storey building providing residential accommodation for students on Bradshawgate, Bolton. The fire started on the fourth floor but quickly spread to the sixth floor, and around 200 firefighters and 40 fire engines and specialist appliances responded.	+	At 20.29 on November 15, 2019, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) were called to a fire at the Cube, a 6-storey building providing residential accommodation for students on Bradshawgate, Bolton. The fire started on the fourth floor but quickly spread to the sixth floor, and around 200 firefighters and 40 fire engines and specialist appliances responded.

−	Fire officers at the scene said the blaze ~~started on the fourth floor and,~~ fanned by the wind, spread “extremely quickly” ~~via~~ the exterior of the building ~~to the sixth floor~~. Witnesses said that what seemed to have been a small fire ripped across and upwards within minutes, “crawling up the building as if it was nothing.” Some students ~~at the scene~~ said that the fire alarms were not loud enough while others complained that they were falsely triggered ~~sometimes several times a day but ‘you get used to it’~~.	+	Fire officers at the scene said the blaze was fanned by the wind and spread “extremely quickly” up the exterior of the building. Witnesses said that what seemed to have been a small fire ripped across and upwards within minutes, “crawling up the building as if it was nothing.” Some students said that the fire alarms were not loud enough while others complained that they were falsely triggered very frequently.

−	Pictures taken from the top of Bolton parish church showed ~~that~~ the sixth floor had been completely gutted by the blaze, while the fourth and fifth floors were visibly damaged. According to some commentators, the building may have to be demolished.	+	Pictures taken from the top of Bolton parish church showed the sixth floor had been completely gutted by the blaze, while the fourth and fifth floors were visibly damaged. According to some commentators, the building may have to be demolished.

−	A ~~Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (~~GMFRS) spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to say that contact has been made with the 220 residents that were registered to the building”. Two people were treated by paramedics at the scene, including one person who was rescued by crews using an aerial platform.	+	A GMFRS spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to say that contact has been made with the 220 residents that were registered to the building”. Two people were treated by paramedics at the scene, including one person who was rescued by crews using an aerial platform.

−	The fact that there were no fatalities may have been in part due to an effective rescue plan ~~being implemented~~. Only the day before, Greater Manchester fire officers had carried out ~~post-Grenfell-style~~ rescue training as part of a plan devised by Greater Manchester’s High-Rise Task Force. The plan was implemented for the first time at the Cube where one team fought the blaze while a second carried out the evacuation plan.	+	The fact that there were no fatalities may have been in part due to the implementation of an effective rescue plan. Only the day before, Greater Manchester fire officers had carried out rescue training as part of a plan devised by Greater Manchester’s High-Rise Task Force. The plan was implemented for the first time at the Cube where one team fought the blaze while a second carried out the evacuation plan.

−	An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the fire and the ~~affect~~ cladding had on the fire spread.	+	An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the fire and the impact cladding had on the fire spread.

−	The Cube opened in 2015 ~~following a conversion from offices. It~~ is managed by Valeo Urban Student Life (VUSL) which is not linked to the university. There are two buildings ~~in The Cube~~, Phase 1 is classified as a high rise building and Phase 2 (the building involved in the fire) is recorded as being under 18 metres and therefore not classified as a high rise building - meaning it is outside the scope of many of the changes introduced following the Grenfell fire.	+	The Cube opened in 2015 and is managed by Valeo Urban Student Life (VUSL) which is not linked to the university. There are two buildings, Phase 1 is classified as a high rise building and Phase 2 (the building involved in the fire) is recorded as being under 18 metres tall and therefore it is not classified as a high-rise building - meaning it is outside the scope of many of the changes introduced following the Grenfell Tower fire.

−	GMFRS confirmed that they had inspected the building in 2017 following the ~~fire at~~ Grenfell ~~Tower~~, and it had been established that the building did not have Aluminium Composite Material cladding (ACM cladding). They subsequently requested the fire risk assessment ~~be reviewed~~ and the materials used in the cladding system were identified and assessed.	+	GMFRS confirmed that they had inspected the building in 2017 following the Grenfell fire, and it had been established that the building did not have Aluminium Composite Material cladding (ACM cladding). They subsequently requested a review of the fire risk assessment and the materials used in the cladding system were identified and assessed.

	It is thought that the building has High Pressure Laminate cladding (HPL cladding). HPL cladding panels are typically manufactured by layering sheets of wood or paper fibre with a resin and bonding them under heat and pressure. They sometimes include additional chemicals to provide fire retardant properties.		It is thought that the building has High Pressure Laminate cladding (HPL cladding). HPL cladding panels are typically manufactured by layering sheets of wood or paper fibre with a resin and bonding them under heat and pressure. They sometimes include additional chemicals to provide fire retardant properties.

−	Following the Grenfell ~~Tower Fire and subsequent concerns regarding the~~ fire ~~performance of cladding panels~~, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) conducted a BS8414 test of a cladding system comprising an HPL panel with fire retardant (Class B-s1, d0) together with stone wool insulation. It was considered that HPL cladding should not be used in an external wall when carrying out building works on new residential buildings of 18m or more. However, the level of risk from unsafe HPL systems was not as high as the risk from unsafe systems using ACM Category 3 panels.	+	Following the Grenfell fire, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) conducted a BS8414 test of a cladding system comprising an HPL panel with fire retardant (Class B-s1, d0) together with stone wool insulation. It was considered that HPL cladding should not be used in an external wall when carrying out building works on new residential buildings of 18m or more. However, the level of risk from unsafe HPL systems was not as high as the risk from unsafe systems using ACM Category 3 panels.

	For more information see: HPL cladding.		For more information see: HPL cladding.

−	Salford mayor Paul Dennett confirmed that the building was clad ~~in high-pressure laminate, not aluminium composite material (ACM).~~ “We were aware of the cladding system on this building and interim measures were in place but every apartment had a fire alarm and each floor had an air horn… “At the moment, we have a cladding lottery: the government has made resources available for ACM, [but] this is high-pressure laminate so we will be asking government for more money and funding to deal with what is an industrial crisis that the UK is facing in terms of cladding on buildings. There is a lot of work to be done.	+	Salford mayor Paul Dennett confirmed that the building was clad with HPL cladding: “We were aware of the cladding system on this building and interim measures were in place but every apartment had a fire alarm and each floor had an air horn… “At the moment, we have a cladding lottery: the government has made resources available for ACM, [but] this is high-pressure laminate so we will be asking government for more money and funding to deal with what is an industrial crisis that the UK is facing in terms of cladding on buildings. There is a lot of work to be done.

−	A spokesperson for the MHCLG said: “Building owners must ensure their tenants can live safely in their homes and this means all cladding systems, including HPL, that do not conform to our strict building safety standards must be removed.” ~~This statement ignores~~ the fact that the Cube is not more than 18m tall.	+	A spokesperson for the MHCLG said: “Building owners must ensure their tenants can live safely in their homes and this means all cladding systems, including HPL, that do not conform to our strict building safety standards must be removed.”
		+
		+	Both these statements ignore the fact that the Cube is not more than 18m tall and so the policy changes introduced following the Grenfell fire do not apply.

	The Fire Brigades Union general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “This is not how any building should react to a fire in the 21st century, let alone a building in which people live,”		The Fire Brigades Union general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “This is not how any building should react to a fire in the 21st century, let alone a building in which people live,”