Fire chiefs in Liverpool last night (June 27) declared an industrial estate fire a major incident. People across Merseyside have witnessed the blaze, with flames and plumes of smoke visible across Liverpool and wider Cheshire. The fire, at Golden Triangle Industrial Estate, Widnes, was reported at around 9pm last night and firefighters are currently still at the location.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is rated outstanding and was quickly on the scene. However, the scale of the fire saw firefighters working through the night to bring it under control. It is not yet known what caused the blaze but loud bangs have been heard and one person is reported to have be injured. Fifty residents were evacuated from their homes and, at the time of writing, were still being told to stay away until the all-clear is given.
Homes evacuated following Liverpool fire
A spokesperson for the fire and rescue service said: “The fire is now under control after several hose reel jets were used to fight it overnight. The safety cordon has been reduced to 150 metres. Firefighters are currently damping down the area to make it safe. They are using water to cool down gas cylinders at the industrial estate that have been affected by the fire.”
Four fire engines and an aerial ladder platform remain at the scene. The fire service says road closures are in place and motorists are still advised to avoid the area.
Reducing the risk of a major industrial estate fire
If you own a business on an industrial estate, have you reviewed your fire safety equipment recently? Having the right equipment is imperative. Many industrial estate fires happen outside of normal business hours. That is why it makes sense to have round the clock, automatic protection. A sprinkler system and on-site water storage can vastly impact the time it takes a fire to spread.
Nationwide Water Solutions, the UK’s leading name in sprinkler tank services, installs and maintains water storage tanks for sprinklers across the UK. For further information, visit its website.
Please note: The image used with this story is for illustration purposes only.