Avon Fire & Rescue Service has today [14 October] confirmed that the fire started accidentally after a pan of oil was left unattended in a kitchen area.

The fire broke out in a top floor flat of the building shortly after 1pm and quickly spread through the upper floor. All students in the building were evacuated quickly and no one was injured.

Alternative accommodation has been found for all 120 residents, either in University halls or with partner organisations.

Bedding, toiletries, food and clothing were supplied, in addition to financial and pastoral support for those affected.

Lynn Robinson, Deputy Registrar at the University of Bristol, said: "Although the fire has caused a huge amount of damage, our overriding concern was for the safety of our students and we’re very thankful that no one was injured. We were able to rehouse everyone quickly and continue to support them after what was undoubtedly a traumatic experience.

“We are very grateful to Avon Fire & Rescue Service for their hard work and will continue to work closely with them to ensure students are educated about fire safety issues.”

Since the start of the new university term, the University has been working with Avon Fire & Rescue Service in order to highlight fire safety issues. The campaign has focused on encouraging students to ensure they don’t leave cooking unattended.

• If students or parents have any questions or require additional support, they should contact Joe Finn at the University’s Accommodation Office on +44 (0)117 95 46640 or email accom-office@bristol.ac.uk