Firefighters tackled a wind-driven grass fire in Garston on Tuesday evening, with a large plume of smoke visible across parts of Merseyside.
Incident details
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to Garston Shore, Blackburne Street, at 7.58pm and arrived at the scene at 8.04pm. Five fire engines were in attendance at the height of the incident after firefighters found a wind-driven fire on open ground measuring around 300 metres by 60 metres.
Crews tackled the blaze using beaters and hose reel jets, with firefighters making “good progress” in bringing the fire under control. The incident has since been scaled down to three fire engines, with crews damping down the area and checking for any remaining hotspots.
Visibility and witness reports
People living nearby reported seeing smoke from areas including St Helens, Prescot, Widnes and Runcorn. One witness told the ECHO: "Four fire engines, three police cars and shortly ago an incident manager in an unmarked white Toyota was seen arriving."
Cause and response
The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed. A spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said: "Fire crews have been called to a grass fire at Garston Shore, Blackburne Street. Liverpool L19. Crews were alerted at 7.58pm and on scene at 8.04pm, with five fire engines in attendance at the height of the incident. Crews arrived to find a wind-driven fire on open ground around 300 metres by 60 metres. Firefighters have been fighting the fire with beaters and hose reel jets and have made good progress. The incident has been scaled down to three fire engines and crews are now damping down and checking for hotspots."
