Residents of a north Manchester neighborhood were forced to watch helplessly as a beloved former social club went down in flames. Fire crews were at the scene of the fire in Moston at 4:20pm on Sunday (May 14) following reports of a fire at what was once the home of St Luke’s Social Club.
Numerous roads in the area were closed by police, while residents were advised to stay in their homes while crews worked tirelessly to fight the blaze.
Black smoke could be seen emanating from the building miles away, and residents reported to the Manchester Evening News they could not see through their streets.
Twelve houses were deemed unsafe during the fire, and residents were forced to evacuate.
One man said: “It was shocking because when it started it didn’t look that big.
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“It was just a little bit of white smoke.
“But then it built up and built up and turned black and all hell broke loose.
“Our entire street was covered.”
Some residents were devastated by the loss of a building that held so many precious memories for them.
One woman said: “I had so many good nights at St Luke’s.
“I am really, really shocked. It’s sad.”
Fire crews continued to work throughout the night, using a special turntable device, a mobile command unit, a high-volume pump and the fire service’s drone to extinguish the flames.
A mother stood watching the fire with her two children. “It’s terrible,” she said. “I hope everybody is fine”.
The MEN understands that there was no one inside the building.
Since then, four of the 12 evacuated households have been able to return to their homes.
In a statement, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 4:20 this afternoon, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service received the first of many 999 calls reporting a fire in an abandoned building. on Sulby Street in Moston.
“Five fire engines from across Greater Manchester, plus a special turntable device, mobile command unit, high volume pump and the fire service’s drone, are all on the scene working together to extinguish the fire. and keep everyone safe.
“Manchester Council, Cadent Gas, United Utilities and the Environment Agency are also on site to support the firefighters.
“Greater Manchester Police have closed several roads around the incident.
“Although the fire is contained in an abandoned building, it is in a built-up area and there are some neighbors affected by this incident.
“12 homes are temporarily unsafe due to the presence of smoke.
“Firefighters have been visiting nearby people to make sure they are safe and well while the fire is under control.
“We urge all people in the local area to keep their doors and windows closed until this incident is resolved.”