40 people found in flats as Manchester building collapse sparks human trafficking fear

40 people found in flats as Oldham building collapse sparks human trafficking fearMore than 40 people were evacuated after a building in a major UK city crumbled onto the pavement, with overcrowded flats discovered in neighbouring propertiesNewsElizabeta Ranxburgaj and Charlotte Hall14:58, 03 Apr 2026Updated 15:07, 03 Apr 2026Oldham: Emergency services at scene of building collapse A shocking building collapse has raised concerns about possible human trafficking after it reportedly forced more than 40 people nearby to evacuate.‌Over 40 local residents were placed in emergency accommodation when a house collapsed onto the pavement on 24 March, on King Street in Oldham, Greater Manchester.‌Some of the evacuated properties in neighbouring buildings are now thought to have housed overcrowded rental flats with no official record of their occupants. Initial inquiries raised fears that an undocumented person had been trapped beneath the debris, triggering a major rescue operation.‌Human trafficking, or modern slavery, concerns do not apply to all the people displaced by the incident, and it remains unclear how many individuals may be involved. Suspicions were passed to Greater Manchester Police, who participated in a multi-agency meeting earlier today with representatives from various government organisations, reports the Manchester Evening News.View 4 ImagesA building collapsed in Oldham, Manchester(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)The flats and Euro King Mini Market at dramatically collapsed on Tuesday, 24 March. The building has been part-owned by councillor Kamran Ghafoor and business partner Sameer Zulqurnain through their company KKS Investors since 2019. Those living in the KKS Investors-owned property that crumbled are not believed to be connected to the concerns surrounding human trafficking.‌View 4 ImagesIt is thought around 40 nearby residents were forced to leave their homes(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)Neighbours heard the walls com...