Firefighters had to force entry into a former nursing home as a blaze ripped through it.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) received a 999 call at around 7.19pm on Thursday, July 14, reporting a disused nursing home on Hard Lane in St Helens was on fire. Four fire engines arrived at the scene just six minutes later and found the former Abbey House care home well alight.
A 20 by 20 metre section of the ground floor was on fire and crews worked immediately to gain access to the gated site and get to work putting out the fire. Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were initially fighting the fire with a hose reel jet and a main branch hose to prevent the spread of fire to the main building.
