Everything we know so far after fire rips through new build apartments in city centre

A large fire ripped through the top of an apartment block this morning forcing residents to evacuate the sixth storey building.

The blaze broke out at the flats on Parliament Street, next to the Baltic Triangle, and flames could be seen leaping from the upper floors.

Thick plumes of black smoke drifted over the main road in and out of the city centre at about 9.45am as six crews rushed to the scene.

An aerial appliance was used so firefighters could use a hose on the top floors of the building, at the bottom of the scaffolding, where the blaze appeared to originate.

Locals said residents had been living in the apartments for about a year but building work has been ongoing above the current flats for sometime.

The fire at the junction of Parliament Street and Grafton Street closed the adjoining Upper Parliament Street both ways with motorists urged to stay away.

Mike Tansey with this picture of smoke billowing from a building. The fire has closed Parliament Street both ways. (Mike Tansey)

Two quick-thinking workers, from the nearby Birdies bar complex, were the first to spot the fire and sprang into action, running over to the burning building, and hannering on the windows, imploring residents to get out.

A blaze has closed off Parliament Street close to the Baltic Triangle (Kevin Wong)

Thankfully nobody is thought to have been hurt in the incident.

A spokesman for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said: "The fire on floors 5 and 6 has now largely been extinguished and crews are fighting externally on scaffold, wearing rag harness and respirators, cutting away exterior cladding to check for fire spread.

"Residents were evacuated from the building and Merseyside Police closed Parliament Street in both directions."

Craig Whitfield, MFRS incident commander, who is at the scene, said: "Crews faced a well-developed fire on the 5th and 6th floors and commenced an assertive and effective attack. The aerial ladder platform has proven effective in the external attack."

Fire fighters at the Baltic Triangle building fire of Parliament street. (Jason Roberts photography)

He added: "The fire service implemented a building evacuation early in the incident."

The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed, but sources indicated an electrical fault or arson are unlikely.

Travel Monitor Inrix reports Grafton Street in both directions remains closed due to the building fire between A562 Parliament Street and Stanhope Street.