Major fire in Manchester city centre causes serious disruption
23 June 2025, 19:44
Firefighters are tackling a massive fire at a derelict building in Manchester city centre that has caused evacuations of nearby buildings and major transport disruption.
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The fire broke out at the former Hotspur Press printing works on Cambridge Road in the city centre, close to Manchester Oxford Road train station.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said nearby apartment buildings were being evacuated.
Manchester Oxford Road train station has also been evacuated, and National Rail warned that services running through the station may be cancelled or delayed until 9pm.
The GMFRS advised the public to "stay away from the area" as fire crews continue to tackle the fire.
Social media footage shows firefighters working to put out the blaze with water cannons. The building appears to be severely damaged.
Manchester city centre fire raging on tonight. #fire #manchesterfire #gmpfirre pic.twitter.com/wVlEDfNpQe
— GONC (@garyc1305) June 23, 2025
A social media video taken from the window of a plane shows a huge plume of smoke billowing far across the city.
The building has been derelict since it closed as a printing press in 1996.
Permission was given in May 2024 to developer Manner to regenerate the building into 36-storey student accommodation.
It recently redesigned its proposals and they will now be submitted to Manchester City Council, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said earlier this month.
National Rail said rail replacement buses were running for Northern customers from Manchester Oxford Road, calling at all stops to Warrington Central.
TransPennine Express said rail replacement buses had been requested for the Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool Lime Street route in both directions and Manchester Piccadilly to Preston in both directions.
East Midlands Railway said it had bus replacements services on standby at Warrington Central, Stockport and Sheffield.
TransPennine Express said customers at Liverpool Lime Street could use their ticket at no extra cost to travel on TransPennine Express services to Manchester Victoria.
