Marc Darcy on Bury New Road in Salford was gutted by an overnight fire, and the blaze forced a closure on a major route into Manchester. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service was called at about 01:40 BST, then found the outlet well alight.
Eight fire crews and specialist units, including a turntable ladder, were sent to tackle the blaze. The road closure and the response unfolded at the same time, so drivers and nearby residents were dealing with active fire crews while access was already blocked.
GMFRS on Bury New Road
A GMFRS spokeswoman said, "Crews remain in attendance as they continue to work to extinguish the fire and make the area safe." The same spokeswoman said, "Bury New Road is currently closed by Greater Manchester Police and residents are asked to stay away from the area and keep doors and windows closed."
For people living or working nearby, that means the immediate priority is to avoid the area and keep indoor spaces shut until crews finish making the site safe. A further route into Manchester has been taken out of use while fire crews remain on scene, which leaves the road closed for now. Marc Darcy fire guts Salford outlet on Bury New Road
Marc Darcy staff
An employee of the business said staff were "are very shocked". The employee also said Marc Darcy sold high-end men's designer suits and had several celebrities among its customers, adding to the scale of the loss at the outlet.
The open question now is what caused the fire at Marc Darcy on Bury New Road. Until that is answered, the practical issue for residents and traffic remains the same: the road is closed, crews are still working, and the area around the building stays off limits.
