Hotspur Press fire: Orange flames and black smoke engulf Manchester’s oldest mill

A major fire has destroyed what is believed to be Manchester’s oldest mill, the historic Hotspur Press building, prompting the evacuation of dozens of nearby residents. The fire broke out around 4:30pm on Monday (23 June) at the structure near Manchester Oxford Road railway station. Fire services said the flames engulfed three floors of the derelict mill. A spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services (GMFRS) said over 100 firefighters and two dozen fire engines responded to the scene, while two aerial units were deployed to contain the fire's spread. A doorman at one of the nearby evacuated buildings told the Manchester Evening Press that smoke was “billowing everywhere” while the fire was “raging”.