Oldham Maple Mill fire: Building 'still dangerous'

A huge blaze which gutted a former cotton mill continues to pose a danger to the surrounding area, fire crews have said.

Witnesses saw flames leap up to 200ft (60m) in the air and said the front of the building, in Oldham, had collapsed.

About 100 nearby homes were evacuated as up to 80 firefighters tackled the fire, which broke out at 04:15 GMT.

Hundreds are unable to return home since the fire is "still alight" and the mill "structurally unstable".

Earlier, it took fire crews nearly seven hours to bring the flames under control with the heat from it being felt 1,640ft (500m) away.

Witnesses saw flames leap up to 200ft (60m) in the air and said the front of the building had collapsed.

Eyewitness Sarah Jones told the BBC: "I was woken by two loud bangs that I thought were gunshots but they were explosions."

Firefighters initially tackling the fire - which started on the top floor of the mill - were forced to withdraw as part of the building on Cardwell Street collapsed.

People living near the mill were advised to keep their windows closed

Fire chiefs described the blaze at Maple Mill as a "major incident"

Witnesses saw flames leap up to 200ft (60m) in the air

A GMFRS spokeswoman said that while it remains their "number one priority" to allow nearby residents to return home, they cannot do so while the area remains so dangerous.

Local residents had suggested homeless people have been seen using the mill for shelter in recent days.

But Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said there was "nothing to suggest" anyone was caught up in the blaze.

An emergency "rest centre" has been set up in the nearby Honeywell Centre for those forced out of their homes.

As of 17:00 GMT, 70 firefighters and 14 engines remained at the scene along with Greater Manchester Police and Oldham Council officials.

GMFRS said it managed to stop the flames causing electricity blackouts to 2,500 homes and averted gas explosions.

Gas, propane and oxygen cylinders were covered with water to prevent them exploding and an electricity sub-station was found in the mill's courtyard.

Area manager Warren Pickstone said: "If that would've gone down, approximately 2,500 properties would have lost their electricity.

"We made sure that we kept that at bay."

The BBC has learnt the former textile mill is owned by kitchen businessman Vance Miller, who was the subject of a failed Trading Standards prosecution in 2010.

The site has previously been damaged by fires. In 2009 nearby homes had to be evacuated following an explosion and there was another blaze at the building three months ago.

In November, two homeless men died in a blaze in a derelict building in Manchester's Chinatown.

The deaths of Wayne Bardsley, 51, and James Evans, 57, are being treated as murder by Greater Manchester Police.

Crews fought for several hours to bring the blaze under control

Fire crews had to use breathing apparatus while fighting the blaze

Ambulance crews attended the blaze

By daybreak the extensive damage to the building was clear to see

The fire brigade confirmed the blaze broke out on the top floor of the mill

A total of 15 fire engines were called to the scene

The blaze was still burning seven hours after it first started