Firm which runs fire ravaged student flats, was previously reprimanded over fire regulations at Leeds student digs

Urban Student Life (USL), which manages The Cube in Bolton for private owners, said that Friday night’s fire started on the fourth floor and spread to the sixth. Witnesses said what appeared to be a small fire ripped across and upwards within minutes, “crawling up the cladding like it was nothing”.

Housing 221 students, all those inside escaped, with two people treated at the scene for minor injuries after the blaze broke out at around 8.30pm.

USL staff helped evacuate students to safety along with firefighters who worked through the night to extinguish the fire.

In 2016, the development of student accommodation at Asquith House in Leeds was held up by almost three months, according to the National Union of Students (NUS).

Students then faced significant delays in receiving rent refunds and, once the building was complete, no fire safety guidance was provided, the NUS said.

This resulted in a year’s suspension from the National Code Scheme, a voluntary initiative for student accommodation providers, supported by the NUS.

It guarantees tenants will get a certain standard of management and have a clear procedure they can follow if any problem occurs. Such suspensions are said to be extremely rare, and the tribunal rarely meets.

Asquith House was so late being completed that tenants had to live in hotels and even share beds for 11 weeks after they were meant to move in.

An NUS tribunal at the time heard the company failed to act quickly enough to provide refunds to students and failed to provide any fire safety guidance. It said this was in breach of

National codes 6.16 and 6.17, which states tenants must be provided with clear written guidelines on the fire safety procedures.

This includes details of the safety measures installed, why they are there, how they operate and what to do in the event of a fire.As a result of its ruling,

As a result of its ruling, Leeds City Council sent the Fire Authority to inspect the building, and decided it was still not fit for use.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service ordered that the building close with immediate effect, and that remedial works are required before it can be re-opened.

USL’s troubled history was revealed by Shelly Asquith, who then worked as the NUS Vice President for welfare. On Twitter she said: ‘The Company which runs this student halls in Bolton was suspended from the national codes in 2016, after our tribunal found they had failed on fire safety.

‘Suspension is very rare, and serious questions now need asking as to how (USL) can continue to operate’.

Ms Asquith previously described their handling of the Leeds accommodation as ‘shocking and disgraceful ’.

The Eastern Fire Brigade Union said it was ‘scandalous’ to still see companies flouting fire regulation and said professionals were being ignored.

The Fire Bridgades Union has called for a complete overhaul of UK fire safety and have condemned government cuts to the service.

The cladding material or cause of the blaze in the Bolton halls has not been confirmed. However, the speed at which the flames spread caused many to compare it to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, when 72 people died.

In a statement on its website, USL said: “Valeo USL is continuing to work together with the great welfare and accommodation teams at the university to rehouse students and help them put this upsetting incident behind them.

“Valeo USL is also actively assisting the emergency services with their investigations into the blaze and is committed to help with any investigations and looks forward to understanding the outcome of those investigations and any lessons that can be learnt.”

USL added it manages the Cube - opened in 2015 - for the leaseholders and was not responsible for the construction of the building, or subsequent amendments.