"It's a nightmare" - Worried residents speak out after blaze at abandoned baths blighted by anti-social behaviour

Residents have reported feeling ‘unsafe’ after a fire ripped through a derelict swimming baths. Dozens of firefighters were called to tackle the blaze at the old Levenshulme swimming pool building on Barlow Road at around 6.30pm yesterday evening (October 10).

Flames soared and smoke billowed out of the 102-year-old building, which has stood derelict for a decade after falling victim to spending cuts.

Nine fire engines were called to the scene alongside police who attended and closed off the road. The fire services are ‘working with GMP to determine the cause of the fire.’

One resident living nearby said the incident was ‘unsurprising’ after there had been issues with ‘squatting, kids, fly-tipping, and antisocial behaviour’.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, he said: “People had been hoping that the place would become a heritage site but I doubt it.

“The building has been a gateway for school kids to mess about, squatting, and rubbish dumped in the back alleyway.”

Speaking about the moment the fire spread, neighbour Samuel Sutton, 26, said: “I saw tons of smoke out of the window but couldn’t see the blaze from our house.

READ MORE: "It was pretty horrific to be honest" - Homes evacuated by pub landlord as fire rips through former swimming baths

READ MORE: The 'prolific offender' who brought misery to Longsight in spate of 'violent and terrifying' robberies

“I’ve seen kids on the roof and they’ve lit fires behind the building before down the alleyway - I had to chase them to put it out. It’s a nightmare really.”

Tallulah Eyres, 27 added: “We’ve heard of squatters being there for a while now. We also always see kids coming in and out of there.

“It’s a derelict building, people are going to mess with it.