There was a significant fire at a block of student flats in Bolton on Friday. Many of us will have been thinking about University of Bolton students affected by the fire, all of whom thankfully escaped the building.
As a University, the safety of our students, staff and visitors is paramount. We have invested £215 million in our campus, constructing new buildings and improving existing ones, ensuring each project is completed to very high safety standards.
We employ a fire safety officer and our security, estates and accommodation teams are involved in weekly alarms tests and safety checks. Once an alarm is triggered, we operate a full evacuation policy, supervised by our on-campus security team who work closely with the local fire service. We have a comprehensive fire strategy that is kept under review and includes signage, fire doors, fire alarms, evacuation plans and fire safety training for staff and students.
Following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the University also carried out a high-level review of its fire safety policy, procedures and arrangements. This included a thorough review of University-owned buildings, including the cladding systems, and also support and guidance for students living off-site in private, non-University owned accommodation. As more detail emerges following the fire in Bolton, we will seek to apply any lessons learnt.