Location: Mount Pleasant, Liverpool City Centre
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is currently in attendance at a building fire on Mount Pleasant in Liverpool City Centre.
Crews were alerted at 11.42am and on scene at 11.49am. Four fire engines are currently in attendance as well as an aerial appliance.
Firefighters are currently gaining access to the premises.
There is a large amount of smoke as a result of the fire. Residents and businesses nearby should keep windows and doors closed. Anyone with existing medical conditions should keep medicine close by and call NHS 111 if ill effects occur.
The incident is ongoing. Please avoid the area.
UPDATE 12.33PM
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus have used high pressure hose reel jets to extinguish a fire in the ground floor stairwell of the building.
Crews are now checking the rest of the building for fire spread.
Merseyside Police are in attendance and have closed Mount Pleasant.
UPDATE 1.28PM
A full search of the building has been carried out. There are no signs of fire spread.
Crews are now making up equipment and are due to hand the scene over to the building owners shortly.