Three police officers cleared over Bismark Mill fire deaths

Three Greater Manchester Police officers have been cleared of misconduct over the deaths of four Vietnamese men in the Bismark Mill fire, though one officer's actions were deemed 'gross incompetence' by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The men-Uoc Van Nguyen, Duong Van Nguyen, Nam Thanh Le, and Cuong Van Chu-were believed to be working on a cannabis farm when the mill on Union Street burned down on May 7, 2022.

The IOPC investigation revealed that two months before the men's remains were found on July 23, police had been contacted twice about concerns for people's welfare at the mill. The Vietnamese Catholic Chaplaincy in London had reached out to GMP on May 21, 2022, about a family's concerns for Uoc Van Nguyen, who they said was staying at what was described as the 'fire house'.

A senior GMP officer failed to share this information with colleagues during meetings on July 25, July 27, and August 18, despite being aware of the chaplaincy's concerns. The IOPC found this amounted to gross incompetence but accepted the officer did not intentionally deceive colleagues. Two other officers were investigated for not properly reviewing the information but were found to have no case to answer.

The coroner recorded an open conclusion at the inquest, stating the cause of death on the balance of probabilities was 'effects from fire'. Several people were arrested in connection with the deaths but no prosecutions have been pursued. The case has raised serious questions about information sharing between police and partner agencies in Oldham.