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Horse show cancelled after car park fire at Liverpool Echo Arena Horse show cancelled after car park fire at Liverpool Echo Arena
(35 minutes later)
Firefighters are tackling a blaze at a multi-storey car park on Liverpool’s waterfront beside the Echo Arena, which was hosting an international horse show. Firefighters were tackling a blaze at a multistorey car park on Liverpool’s waterfront beside the Echo Arena on Sunday night.
Horses have been evacuated and the evening session of the show, which was scheduled to start at 7.30pm, has been cancelled. The arena was hosting an international horse show but the fire led to the animals being evacuated and to the cancellation of the show’s evening session, scheduled to start at 7.30pm.
Six fire engines were initially in attendance and crews, wearing breathing apparatus, are tackling the fire, Mersey Fire and Rescue Service said. The area was evacuated along with some apartments nearby due to smoke billowing from the blaze. Six fire engines were initially in attendance and crews wearing breathing apparatus were tackling the fire, Merseyside fire and rescue service said.
It was reported that no people or animals have been hurt and it is not yet known how many cars have been damaged. The area was evacuated along with some flats nearby due to smoke billowing from the blaze.
It was reported that no people or animals had been hurt and it was not yet known how many cars had been damaged.
The mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said in a tweet:
Arena Car Park fire have been told everyone safe🙏 and no animals hurt seems a land rover went on fire on the 3rd level, horses on 1st the horses have been evacuated to Arena. Will give more news about tonight ASAP.Arena Car Park fire have been told everyone safe🙏 and no animals hurt seems a land rover went on fire on the 3rd level, horses on 1st the horses have been evacuated to Arena. Will give more news about tonight ASAP.
The mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said in a tweet: “Arena Car Park fire have been told everyone safe and no animals hurt seems a land rover went on fire on the 3rd level, horses on 1st the horses have been evacuated to Arena. Will give more news about tonight ASAP.” The four-day Liverpool International Horse Show had been due to finish with Sunday evening’s show. On the event’s Facebook page, its organisers said they had decided with “considerable regret” to cancel the show because of the fire. About 4,000 people were expected for Sunday evening’s show.
On the Facebook page of the Liverpool International Horse Show, its organisers said they had decided with “considerable regret” to cancel the evening show because of the fire. Crews were first called at 4.42pm and were on scene eight minutes later. At least two or three levels of the car park appeared well alight, with periodic mini-explosions and flames shooting up the outside of the building.
Merseyside police said “a number” of vehicles are on fire and nearby apartments have been evacuated due to smoke billowing from the blaze. Anderson later tweeted: “Anyone whose car was in the arena car park should go to the Galeria in the exhibition centre. Council and arena staff will help with getting home or emergency accommodation.”
Police advised members of the public to stay away from the area and traffic restrictions are currently in place. Fire crews were first called to the blaze at 4.42pm and were on the scene eight minutes later. Merseyside police said nearby flats had been evacuated and advised the public to stay away from the area. Traffic restrictions were put in place.
A spokeswoman for the Echo Arena said: “We regret to announce that the Liverpool International Horse Show has been cancelled tonight due to a serious fire in the multi-storey car park on site. A spokeswoman for the Echo Arena said: “We regret to announce that the Liverpool international horse show has been cancelled tonight due to a serious fire in the multistorey car park on site.
“All people and horses are safe and secure. We are working alongside the emergency services to ensure the fire is brought under control and to make the site safe as quickly as possible. “All people and horses are safe and secure. We are working alongside the emergency services to ensure the fire is brought under control and to make the site safe as quickly as possible.”
“Please note that there is no access to the ACC Liverpool site. We will provide regular updates when we can.”