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Evacuated

Stuart Pike
18/ 2/2008

THE threat of exploding gas cylinders led to the mass evacuation of residents and the closure of a school in Clayton following a dramatic blaze early on Monday morning.

At 5.35am, 25 firefighters were mobilised to a fire at an industrial unit off Stokes Street, although they later reported that the seat of the fire was a private garage nearby.

Dozens of residents in the vicinity were evacuated as a precautionary measure after reports of cylinders in the building involved in the fire. Others were told to shut windows and doors for the immediate future due to the large amounts of smoke being given off.

Police set up a 200m exclusion zone around the area of the large fire - extending along Ashton New Road at its junction with Schofield Street to its junction with Edge Lane - but widespread rush hour traffic chaos was unavoidable.

The cause of the fire is not yet known and is under investigation.

Firefighters extinguished the fire on Monday morning, but crews remained on the scene until early on Tuesday, due to fears that highly volatile oxyacetylene cylinders could go up if not kept cool.

Seymour Road Primary School was closed for a day, along with other buildings within the exclusion area. Several elderly residents from Tobermory Close sheltered housing also had to move out temporarily.

More than 38 properties were initially evacuated to Openshaw's Catherine Street Day Centre. Half of these were allowed to return home later on Monday afternoon, but others found their own accommodation for the night, staying with relatives and friends.

Chelsea Holden, 16, was evacuated from her home on Ashton New Road.

She said: "I was in bed when I heard banging - it was the police. My sister answered the door, and they asked for my mum. She came and told me 'You've got to get up, we've got to go.'"

Also caught up in the drama were Sri Lankans visiting from London, staying with relatives in Clayton for a couple of days.

Clayton resident Pathmanathan Subramanyan called the fire brigade after seeing flames out of his window and hearing an explosion. His wife and three children aged eight, four and one were evacuated - along with his cousin and his children.

He said: "I was in the first police van here. The officers say it will be 24 hours before we can go back."

Also among affected residents was local councillor Mike Carmody, who told the Advertiser: "They evacuated my wife and me at about 8.15am.

"The firemen are doing everything they can and are doing a good job under the circumstances."

Click on the video window for Channel M's report ...