Surely to have fire in wall cavities must be a bad design fault?If fire can travel in cavities between walls,fire could travel unoticed for hours Lets hope the family are ok .These are brand new appartments im sure they are the ones near macdonalds.

i live in the ones on the far side, im on the ground floor, and i am happy with my choice, surely not good design with the wall cavs is it.

It was my closest friends and their son who were rescued from the balcony, their son is 2 in 2 weeks and it looks like they will be homeless for then.
Thankfully all three are OK, they were released from hospital they all have nasty coughs and are in shock, they have nothing, not even shoes, they said the fire was inside the walls and escaping through the hallway was impossible. They have nothing for their son, and as they were relaxing they were rescued in nightclothes they don't even have any shoes and don't have the keys to get into their flat or their car, which is still parked in the car park, which is impossible to enter without a entry code residents know, or have a remote device to open it.
This was their worse fear, the flats are all plasterboard walls internally and worse are only 4 years old, I remember my friend being one of the first to move in.
Thankfully no-one was killed yesterday and the emergency services were amazing I'm told, and my friends and little boy will be recover but are going to have to start all over again, hopefully we'll be allowed in today, but we're all dreading seeing whats left of it.

I have sent a comment that is not shown, why is this?

Clearly I hadn't done the correct sending opps. It was my intention to make everyone aware that the family and their son are all ok now, coughing alot, homeless and dispossessed but physically they are all getting well! And they are also very grateful to the emergency services and everyone else including red cross and neighbours.

There are thousands of new flats in Manchester and salford which have the same type of build, are they safe or has safety been a victim of design and as much profit from each square foot as possible, looking at the materials used in the flats they most likely cost between 8,000 -10,000 to build and sell for 100,000s, all plasterboard and wood

Again, from a resident who seen the fire, the emergency services were absolutely fantastic, they were so organized and professional.

I, too, live in the area and the flats are just across the canal from my house. We have been here for 23 years and the council in their wisdom deemed regeneration. What has regeneration brught? Homes which in my opinion are sub-standard (I don,t think they'll be standing in 100 years time like the property recently pulled down). The material that was used to build them, apart from the brick skin on the outside, was mainly wood, plasterboard. A recipe for disaster. My partner and I have both agreed in the past that these flats are a disaster waiting to happen and it has! Next time it could be worse but beleive me there will be a next time.

Keith, Bradford, Manchester

Update on parents and child, all are much better today, they have been told the damage is terrible to the extent that their goods have melted, it's doubtful the car keys will work rendering their car useless, today it's really started to sink in the gravity that they, and others are now in, they'll be in temporary accomodiation for an short unknown time, but no-one knows longterm what will happen to the building itself.
I can recall when the buildings went up, theirs was the first block and it is just a metal skeleton with brick skin, the newer taller building has only just 'opened' but the wood which looked brand new a few months ago looks weathered and tatty, while we were watching the 2nd block go up nearer to Alan turing way I can remember a builder vividly saying 'there a short term solution to a long term problem, there designed to be put up quick and in 15 odd years they'll be pulling them down and building new, it's the land thats worth the money' he went on to finsh our conversation with by saying the new buildings being akin to 'lego bricks' and admitted he wouldn't live in one 'for a clock' I've never understood that saying, still don't but that was from the workman himself and he wasn't a young man so I assume he obviously has building knowledge.
I hope everyone else is ok.

me, my boyfriend and our daughter, we lived in the same building where this is happend. It's horible experience, even worst, if u know, that is not your fault.Still can't believe what happend..Becky and Chris, if you read this, let us know if u need anything.We can get to our flat on thusday.We thinking about you and your litle son. Hope you gettin better.We'll be glad to help you.Please let us know...
Denisa, Ondrej and Sara. From flat 14.

Hi Denisa, Thanks for asking. They are staying in a temporary place, just while they sort themselves out, the last few days have been horrible for them but they are looking forward to having somewhere they can just be with each other for a day or two, if you want to get in touch email me greenemerald77@hotmail.com and I'll pass details on. they are still coughing and shocked, but they'll be pleased to hear from you.

Hi,
(Chris & Becky) Thank you all for the kind thoughts and well wishes. Me and my family really appreciate it. We are all fine and healthy baby Oscar is missing his bedroom and toys but he is going to be fine. Becky is naturaly missing her clothes and makeup,to be honest we are just feel lucky to have our family safe and well, material belongings I can replace.
Thank god it happened when it did. And maybe it was lucky that it did start in my flat as I was able to set the alarms of and dail 999 pronto, as you are all aware we have older residents in the buildings.
After speaking to the police (as it started in my flat) I got told that the fire was nothing to do with any residents in any way shape or form. (get the compo claims in asap) We have been told we can move back in when it is all repaired. But we dont want to. I my self am very traumatised by the whole event.
The fire started in the electric fuse box. We was sleeping at the time as we was not very well with the flue. I woke up to get a drink and sat on the sofa to watch tv where Becky was dozing and Oscar was playing. I heard a pop. I didnt think anything of it but then Oscar asked me, "what was that noise?" I went to look and by this time the whole cupboard was in flames it was a matter of seconds from me spotting the fire to me and my family running to the balcony as the flames was to near the front door to escape that way. Whilst on the blacony I phoned 999. This is when I saw the other residents appear and then the fire services.
I am very angry at the lack of reasponce I have recevied regarding my belonging, as I can not get hold of anyone who has the keys. I presume they are having a nice family break or something and do not want to be disturbed. I lost everything. Car keys, phones, credit cards and so on. I was after all dressing in only my dressing gown, (which has now become my lucky dressing gown.) Not to mention every thing else. If i could just get into my flat to get my car keys this would be a massive step forward to rebuilding my life. But I guess my life is on hold till tuesday. (I hope they are having a great time....)
I would like to say a big thankyou to the fire services. If I could get intouch with someone to give them a thank you gift and card this would be great.
Thank the powers that be..We was all safe and no one was hurt.
Again thank you.

As one of the residents (apartment 17), I can confirm the emergencies and the red cross were fantastic. However, the attitude of property management (Stevens Scanlan) was completely unacceptable. The firemen would bring out specified things if you gave them a list, but once property management took over they refused any access. Their representative announced they would post the new keys to the owners once padlocking the doors was completed, so residents have to continue living without clothes, and possibly wallets, mobile phones etc until at least next Wednesday, considering the bank holidays -- later than that if you rent through an agent and the keys have to travel farther. They refused to provide security for what is now in essence a ghost building by saying boarding up the doors was enough for the company to be covered in terms of building regulations. Fortunately, as I found out yesterday they had changed their mind and there is constant surveillance by security guards. In short, they couldn't care less.

My flat mate and I lived at the waterfront 2 also. To be honest, I was greatful to have found somewhere affordable and plaesant (after escaping noisy/anti social neighbours at my last residence).
We had lived there six weeks and only just settled, when the fire occured. At the time of the fire, we waited outside for some time. I noticed that the engines has stopped dispensing water and that things seemed a lot calmer, I therefore assumed that the fire had been extinguished. After all, there were 8 or so fire engines? So my flat mate and I made our way back inside the building (walking directly in front of two fire officers who were well away from the point of fire and stood at the entrance).
These officers didn't challenge us, so presuming it was safe and being exceptionally busy, we went back into the flat. It was only when I noticed the electrical supply had been cut off, that I started to question whether the fire had been doused.
Thankfully, we escaped unscathed, but shouted at by the officers who saw us emerging! Fortunately, we had managed to grab essential items because we spent the next two weeks in our cars, on begrudging friends sofas, in lettings agents, having mental break downs, and driving back to the property to see whether we could 'move back in' as we'd been told we would be able to do possibly the next day, or next week, or next month and so on. It has been nearly eght months now and no-one has EVER been able to give us a straight and honest answer about the completion date. In fact, the building has remained borded up and dormant for at least a few months now, which only adds to the frustration as we still have many items inside.
We rented the property through Key properties who were thoroughly unhelpful, rude incompetant and made us feel as though they were going above and beyond their job description when all we asked for was for them to find us another property, quickly.
I was so distressed at this point because I had had virtually no sleep, had completed NO school work and many important work and personal documents were trapped within the building.
The team at Key Properties, who at this time, really should have showed at very least compliance and compassion, worsened an alreday awful situation, by lying (about car parking spaces being 'ok to park in' ) and being obtrusive.
When they had finally found us somewhere, I was reduced to floods of tears, having a panick attack outside their offices, when they told us 'the property wasn't ready to be moved into' for a week. This was merely due to some items of superflous furniture to arrive.
The irony of this 'wait' to get into the property was that when we DID move in:
1 there was no fridge freezer
2 ALL three locks in the property didn't work (including the front door! We were expected to leave it, or stay off work!)
3 The toilet leaked
4 NO mirrors

Since then, I have been sleeping on a matress (two months due to cheap bed frame) and our post has been stolen/broken into. I failed to mention the fact that Key Properties also tried to take us to court for 'not paying rent!' We have also been burglarised due to the poor security within the complex. I think they will be hearing fom watchdog soon.
These kinds of situations really make you re-evaluate life and what is REALLY important. I am just so thankful that everyone is safe, alive and well. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me the forum to be cathartic and extend my warmest wishes to everyone affected by this traumatic event. I can only be postive that next year simple MUST be better than my last.

N Nugent S Quays