Hotel evacuated after fire

About 180 people had to be evacuated from a Manchester hotel after a fire.

The alarm was raised at the Renaissance Hotel, in Blackfriars Street, at about 1800 BST on Friday.

A small fire had broken out in a first floor room.

All of the guests were led to safety and two members of staff were taken to the Manchester Royal Infirmary suffering from the effects of breathing in smoke.

'Swift action'

A fire fighter was also treated for injuries to his hand.

Detective Constable Karen James, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "It is thanks to the swift action and smooth organisation of the staff that there were not any further, more serious injuries.

"One-hundred-and-eighty is a lot of people to manage safely and calmly in such a situation, but the staff at the hotel achieved this and not one guest needed any medical attention."

It is not believed the fire was started deliberately.