Dogs' Home blaze latest - £500,000 already donated by public

More than 50,000 individual people have given money to the Manchester Dogs Home following the devastating fire on Thursday night.

The online giving to the home showed no sign of slowing down on Friday morning as police continued to question a 15-year-old boy who was arrested on suspicion of arson.

He was detained after the blaze started at the home in the Harpurhey area of Manchester shortly after 7pm.

Some local people reported hearing yelping from the animals trapped inside the building and others made desperate attempts to get into the complex before firefighters arrived.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said that 53 dogs had died so far, while about 150 were rescued.

The animals that survived have been taken to the home's sister centre near Warrington, in Cheshire.

Hundreds of residents flocked to the site in Moss Brook Road with dog blankets, cages and food as more than 30 firefighters brought the blaze under control.

They said damage was caused to about a third of the kennels.

Bosses at the charity which cares for more than 7,000 stray and unwanted dogs each year said they were "overwhelmed" with the offers of help.

Anna Stansfield, manager of Cheshire Dogs Home, described the blaze as "soul destroying".

She said she could not comment on the circumstances of the blaze but confirmed that four members of staff were working there at the time.

Ms Stansfield said: "I cannot describe what we have seen tonight. It's soul destroying."

A joint investigation by Greater Manchester Police and GMFRS into the cause of the fire is under way.

A JustGiving site set up by the Manchester Evening News with the aim of raising GBP5,000 had secured GBP523,450 by 11.30am on Friday, from 52,950 donors.

Most of the donations were just a few pounds each sent anonymously by text message.

Another online site, set up local radio presenter Chelsea Norris, had raised more than GBP36,000.

Key 103 breakfast show presenter Miss Norris tweeted: "Woke up to the news we raised this for @manchdogs Thanks everyone, support is not only appreciated but mind blowing."

On its Twitter page, Manchester Dogs Home said: "Words are not enough.

Thank you everyone, you have touched our hearts and surrounded us with love and we are truly grateful. We are overwhelmed with the offers of help, support and money. Grateful and humbled."

Detective Inspector Neil Jones said: "The response from the public has been overwhelming and this is clearly an incident that has tugged on the heart strings of many. A number of people including police officers and staff were quickly on the scene and put their life on the line to help with the rescue effort.

"We are determined to establish exactly how and why this fire started and will be working closely with our partners from the fire service. As part of the investigation a 15-year-old boy has been arrested and he will be spoken to throughout the course of the day. If anyone has any information about this fire I would encourage them to contact us.

"Our switchboard, like social media has been overrun with people wanting to help and I would ask people to not call the police unless they have information about the investigation or those responsible.

"Anyone wanting to donate items such as food and blankets can do so by bringing them to the north Manchester police headquarters. A Justgiving page has also been set up for anyone wanting to donate cash. If you have information about the fire then please call us".

Manchester & Cheshire Dogs Home opened in 1893 and has re-homed more than one million dogs. The registered charity is said to care for more than 7,000 stray and unwanted dogs each year and manages to re-home 95% of them.

Among those donating on the home's JustGiving account were Dominic Hunt who wrote: "Heartbreaking. I wish I could give more" and Susan and Leanne Gresty, who said: "There are no words to describe the sadness we are feeling for the poor little animals who have lost their lives and those that are suffering tonight."

Singer Jodie Prenger, a patron for Manchester & Cheshire Dogs' Home, tweeted: "All my thoughts are with you guys. It's broke my heart to hear such sad news."

Page 2 The MEN said it launched the appeal at 10.02pm on Thursday so it hit the half-a-million pounds mark in just over 13 hours.

It said the appeal was given a boost early on when comedian Ricky Gervais retweeted the appeal to his six million Twitter followers and the total was going up by about GBP10,000 every five minutes.

Editor in chief Rob Irvine said: "This is a tragic story and the fact that it is believed to be an arson attack has left people shocked and angered.

"But we've also seen the very best of people in Manchester. Some residents risked themselves to help save the lives of many dogs trapped in the fire. And so many people have contributed not only money but blankets and dog food.

"The response to the appeal also demonstrates what a local news organisation can do when it works with its readers and I am just pleased that the MEN can somehow help the dogs' home recover from this terrible event."

Page 3 Speaking at a press conference at the scene, Mr Jones said: "Last night a local neighbourhood officer was passing and saw a plume of smoke coming up from the dogs home and responded really quickly, as did a vast number of the local community and the fire service."

The officer said: "The public reaction immediately and overnight has been really, really overwhelming. We're really, really grateful for the response that we've had."

Mr Jones said: "I'm treating it as an arson investigation at the moment based on the extent of the fire and the initial outpouring from the community and some of the information we've been provided with so far."

He said the centre was made up of a series of buildings one of which had been completely destroyed.

Station Commander Paul Duggan, from Greater Manchester Fire Service, said: "A number of the local people had made an attempt to try and rescue the dogs because, obviously, they could hear them in some distress.

"So what firefighters were met with was a fire in a fairly large building with some measure of security, so we had to break into that.

You've also then got a number of dogs that were agitated and, obviously, when a dog's in pain it may bite you, so you've got that risk.

"And, also, you've got a number of members of the public doing a very charitable thing, trying to help the dogs, but obviously it's a risk to them."

Mr Duggan said: "All-in-all a fairly complex and complicated and, also, harrowing incident."