A community rallied to support one another after a large blaze destroyed a home in Huyton.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service rushed to Shellingford Road on Tuesday morning following reports of a house fire at around 8.20am. Five fire crews arrived at the scene eight minutes later and an aerial appliance as well as officers from Merseyside Police.
It was a heart-breaking morning for the community as residents were urged to evacuate their homes while emergency services dealt with the incident. Neighbours were urged to keep their doors and windows closed and keep medicines for existing conditions nearby.
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One resident told the ECHO that she first noticed the fire when she spotted smoke outside her house. She rang the fire service and ran into her back garden. She added she heard people shouting "get out" as she saw people "running" from the fire.
Residents described how there was a "strong smell of smoke" that was described as "billowing" as the fire service arrived, and which could still be smelt several hours later. Pictures taken by the ECHO show the devastating damage of the house destroyed by the blaze as one woman said: "It's scary to think everything you have could just be gone in a whisper."
As locals were unable to return to their homes until safety checks had been carried out, the community rallied to support one another. Some neighbours were left in tears after the fire while many were quick to to check their homes for unwanted clothes and items to help the devastated family.
One person said: "It's just awful, that poor family." Fire crews arrived to find a two-storey terraced property well alight on Tuesday, but all residents were out of the property on arrival, with no reported injuries. The fire service since confirmed that the mean seat of the fire was extinguished at around 9.30am.
A spokesman added: "Crews have continued to check for hot spots, with the fire fully extinguished by around 10.40am. Fire crews have carried out Home Fire Safety Checks in neighbouring properties. An investigation is taking place into the cause of the fire."
The ECHO heard from nearby residents that they heard "commotion" during Tuesday morning, with some hearing "children crying" as there was "a lot of panic".
One woman who lives in a nearby street said she heard "a lot of noise and voices shouting" this morning around 8am, but wasn't aware of what it was. She said it's "very lucky" the fire was caught when it was and hadn't destroyed other houses attached.
She said it was "devastating" to see the damage and was "absolutely terrifying" as she was "shaking". The woman told the ECHO that the fire looked to have spread "so fast" and the "destruction was just so sad."
Fire crews remained at the scene, with officers from Merseyside Police, as an investigation into the cause was launched.
