Oldham mill fire: Search where men's remains found ends

No-one was initially believed to have been inside the mill when the fire broke out

A search of a mill where the remains of four Vietnamese nationals were found has concluded after six months, police have said.

Cuong Van Chu, Uoc Van Nguyen, Duong Van Nguyen and Nam Thanh Le were found at Bismark House Mill, Oldham, on 23 July, after a fire.

Officers said they sifted through 4,500 tonnes of rubble and were satisfied no further remains were there.

A criminal investigation into the men's deaths was ongoing, police said.

Two men who were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter remain on bail, the force said.

Police previously said inquests into the four deaths were opened and adjourned pending a review in April.

'Abandoned house'

The remains of the four men were discovered by demolition workers following a blaze at the mill in April 2022.

Mr Van Chu, 39, arrived in the UK in June 2019 and had maintained regular contact with his wife and children until 7 May, but his family had not heard from him since that date, police said.

Uoc Van Nguyen, 31, was also in regular contact with his wife until 7 May, when he said he was in a mill.

Duong Van Nguyen told family he was living in an "abandoned house", while Uoc Van Nguyen told his wife he was in a mill

GMP added that Duong Van Nguyen, 29, had been in the UK for about a year and last contacted his family about three months earlier, when he said he was living in an "abandoned house" and looking for work.

Mr Thanh Le, 21, who arrived in the UK in January last contacted his family on 4 May when he said he was living in a derelict house in "Dam", believed to be Oldham, and looking for work, the force said.

Nam Thanh Le, 21, arrived in the UK in January 2022

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the search of the mill had finished and officers were "satisfied that there is no realistic prospect of recovering any further human remains or objects of significance from the site".

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Det Supt Lewis Hughes said: "This was a really important piece of work, not just for criminal proceedings, but for the families in Vietnam who have been left devastated by the deaths of their loved ones and desperately want to be reunited with their remains and, in some cases, sentimental items."

The force urged anyone with information to contact police.

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