Teenage boy held over fire at Dogs' Home
A 15-year-old boy is being questioned on suspicion of arson after a fire at Manchester Dogs' Home which killed more than 40 dogs.
Firefighters were called to the scene in Harpurhey shortly after 7pm last night when a fire broke out in a kennel section.
About 150 dogs were rescued and are in the process of being moved to the charity's sister home in Grappenhall, Cheshire.
Hundreds of residents flocked to the site in Moss Brook Road with dog blankets, cages and food, with some reportedly helping to save some of the animals.
More than 30 firefighters brought the blaze under control with damage caused to about a third of the kennels.
A joint investigation by Greater Manchester Police and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is under way as dampening down at the home continues.
Superintendent Marcus Noden said: "We are working closely with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service to establish how this tragedy has occurred.
GMFRS station commander Paul Duggan said that some parts of the roof of the single-storey kennel section had collapsed and firefighters were working to ensure it was made safe before assessing the full damage.
Anna Stansfield, manager of Cheshire Dogs Home, described the blaze as "soul destroying" and added all the rescued dogs would be transferred to its site in Cheshire.
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.
"We are so grateful to the people of Manchester and Greater Manchester who have come to support us but we need to get the roads clear so we can get the dogs out."
Manchester & Cheshire Dogs' Home opened in 1893 and has rehomed 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 rehome 95% of them.