Huge blaze breaks out at student flats in Bolton.

[Andy_Ross]

A huge fire has broken out at a university student accommodation block.

Crowds of students have been evacuated from the building in Bradshawgate in Bolton and police have urged people to avoid the area.

One witness said the fire was "climbing up" the building and "bubbling from the outside".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-50438177

 

[Information Analyst]

Quite astonishing phone interview with a student on BBC News. She and a friend heard the alarms go of, but didn't take any notice of them. After someone came banging on doors telling people to leave, she and the friend "didn't believe her." It was only after the friend went out, checked, and came back saying it was true that they left the building.

I mean, I know they're students, but still...

 

[Rolfe]

I read in a different report that there had been problems with the fire alarms going off "all the time" which could at least partly explain that attitude.

 

[P.J. Denyer]

Quite astonishing phone interview with a student on BBC News. She and a friend heard the alarms go of, but didn't take any notice of them. After someone came banging on doors telling people to leave, she and the friend "didn't believe her." It was only after the friend went out, checked, and came back saying it was true that they left the building.

I mean, I know they're students, but still...

More years ago than I like to think about I was doing an accountancy evening course and the fire alarms went off. The lecturer leaned down, felt the floor, then told us to carry on working....


A couple of minutes later someone came down banging on classroom doors. It was a bomb threat.

It's not just students who ignore alarms.

 

[Information Analyst]

I guess I've worked in too many places where such things are taken more seriously.

 

[pgwenthold]

I guess I've worked in too many places where such things are taken more seriously.

When a was in college living in the dorms, pulled fire alarms were a weekly occurrence.

 

[Ziggurat]

I guess I've worked in too many places where such things are taken more seriously.

My work building has regular drills. Everyone leaves the building every time because the alarm is so loud it’s uncomfortable to stay inside.