A building partially collapsed onto a road in Anfield on Wednesday afternoon, prompting a major emergency response. The incident occurred at the corner of Townsend Lane and Empress Road shortly before 1.50pm on July 15, 2026. Two fire engines and a search and rescue team from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service attended, along with Merseyside Police officers who set up a road block.
Building Details and Damage
The building housed Jovan's Kitchen, a café, on the ground floor and a flat on the first floor. A wall toppled, leaving bricks scattered across the pavement and creating a hole that peered into the living room of the flat. The café suffered damage to its signs and is expected to remain closed until the building is made safe.
All occupants were accounted for by emergency services, and the site was cleared. However, as of 4.30pm, the road remained closed between Lampeter Road and Canon Road.
Utility Safety Measures
Cadent isolated the gas supply, and Scottish Power cut the electricity. Liverpool City Council’s building control team attended to assess the structural safety of the building. One man who works nearby described the collapse: "It just slowly started to come down and then it smashed against the pavement. It was crazy, I've never seen anything like that before. No one was in when it happened, thankfully."
Official Statements
A Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "Crews were alerted at 1.48pm and on scene at 1.55pm, with two fire engines and the search and rescue team attending. On arrival this was a partial building collapse. The premises has been evacuated, and all persons have been accounted for. The property above, as well as neighbouring properties have also been evacuated. Merseyside Police are also in attendance to assist with traffic management, with road closures in place. A structural engineer and utility companies have been requested. This is an ongoing incident, please avoid the area."
A Liverpool City Council spokesperson added: "We have been made aware of a partial building collapse in Anfield. Our building control team are attending the scene to inspect the extent of the damage to the building and identify any necessary next steps."
The scene was later handed over to the council for assessment, with groups of people gathering to view the wreckage.
