After the Bolton fire ripped through student accommodation on Friday, Nottingham students are asking ‘could it happen here?’
University of Bolton student, Elise Millward, told us she heard screams as the blaze tore through The Cube accommodation she lived in.
“It started at about 8.30pm. We have alarms in our corridor and alarms in our rooms. The only one that went off was our corridor alarm in my flat. It went off then stopped, went off then stopped.
“We’ve had so many false alarms at times going off multiple times a day so most of my flat thought nothing of it. My room however is right next to the fire exit stairs so I could hear screams.”
The 20 year old Special Effects Makeup student then saw everyone running through the building as well as smoke from the neighbouring flat.
“I just started screaming at my flatmates and banging on their doors. One of my friends was in the shower and the other was asleep. They hadn’t even heard the alarm in the corridor.
“We just ran out and could see smoke…I can’t describe it, we all left everything in our rooms, we thought it would be sorted as the fire engines were on the scene as we left the building. We just have the clothes we are in as we thought we’d be going back, but it spread so quickly.
“We all were stood about watching everything we have burn. We’ve all lost so much.”
Elise says she did not realise how bad the blaze was until she was outside and saw more smoke and pieces falling from the building.
“It was probably at this point me and my friends just started crying and shaking and calling our family.”
Her great grandma’s jewellery, a teddy bear she has had since birth as well as her laptop with all her photos are just some of the items Elise will never see again.
The student had just re-booked to live in The Cube this week for her 3rd year of University in 2020.
She explained: “I’m just grateful to be alive.”
Another student, 18 year old James Hitchen, was also inside the building as the fire spread.
“When we realised it wasn’t a drill me and a few others went around the flats getting people out and shouting it wasn’t a drill.
“By the time we were leaving the fire was on 3 floors and had spread quickly.”
James, who is studying Motorsport Technology, has lost his passport, all his clothes as well as a laptop with all his university work on to the fire.
“The uni have been fantastic getting us all booked into hotels and making sure everyone has somewhere to go.
“We all have a huge amount of respect for what they did, especially the Student Union president who was there at the time organising people on where to go.”
The University student accommodation in Bolton broke out into flames at approximately 8.30pm on Friday 15 November.
Students were evacuated from The Cube accommodation as fire-fighters tackled the blaze affecting every floor of the six-storey building.
Fire Chief Dave Keelan from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue has said the cladding on the accommodation is not the same as Grenfell Tower, where 72 people died in 2017.
The University of Bolton has said temporary accommodation has been set up for students at the Orlando student halls as well as some put up in hotels.
The Cube is not owned by the University but by a private lettings company called Urban Student Life.
Donations such as clothing and toiletries can be taken to the Chancellors Mall and Haslingden Library at the University of Bolton to help students who have lost their belongings in the fire.
A gofundme page has also been set up where you can donate money here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-victims-of-the-cube-fire-in-bolton.
The Education Secretary has tweeted asking all universities to review fire safety procedures.
Are you a student at Nottingham who has faulty fire alarms or is worried about the fire safety of their accommodation? Get in touch with us by DM’ing or tweeting us @PlatformOnline or on Facebook @PlatformMagazine.
By Eve Watson