Residents are being told to keep their windows and doors shut as smoke continues to billow across the city from a huge fire.
The fire broke out at the scrapyard on Bank Hall Street, off Derby Road in Kirkdale, at around 10.30pm on Saturday as firefighters raced to the scene.
Crews worked through the night as the response continued to be stepped up, with 15 fire engines and 3 aerial appliances in attendance by 2am.
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Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said there are two main seats of fire, with one affecting an area of 50 x 20 metres and another involving around 150 scrap cars.
Large plumes of smoke can still be seen billowing into the sky, as firefighters warned residents to continue to keep their windows and doors closed due to air quality remaining 'poor'.
In the latest update from Merseyside Fire and Rescue at 4pm today a spokesperson said the incident is 'ongoing'.
They said a 'tactical plan' is in place and firefighters are continuing to break up the scrap involved in the fire so it can be put out fully.
The incident is also 'likely to continue for a considerable amount of time', according to Merseyside Fire and Rescue.
The latest update said: "The incident is ongoing with the tactical plan continuing to be to break up the scrap involved in the fire so it can be fully extinguished.
"Air quality remains poor so residents should continue to heed earlier advice to keep doors and windows shut.
"The incident is likely to continue for a considerable amount of time.
"More updates to follow as the situation changes."
Road closures remain in place on Derby Road, Bankhall Lane, Bankhall Street and Forge Street and people are being urged to avoid the area.
Photos taken by ECHO photographer Andy Teebay in the early hours of Sunday show the scale of the fire.
In an update this morning, the fire service described it as a "challenging incident" with meetings taking place throughout the night.
"There are still significant smoke plumes in the area and the air quality is poor.
"Please avoid the area. Local residents should continue to keep doors and windows closed and stay inside if possible.
"Keep medication for existing conditions close and if any ill effects are experienced dial NHS 111 for advice."
A spokesperson for S. Norton & Co. Ltd told the ECHO: “Thankfully there were no injuries and minimal damage caused by the fire.
“We apologise to our neighbours and the general public for any disruption this incident may have caused.
“Our Emergency Action plan was promptly implemented and the fire was handled promptly and professionally by the fire services, in conjunction with our own teams who are trained if such instances occur.
“We wish to thank the Fire & Rescue service for their response to this incident.
“We will now be working closely with the relevant bodies to investigate the cause of this fire.
“In the meantime, we can assure the public, our neighbours and our supply chain that we have taken all reasonable actions to continue to operate safely and recycle responsibly, and that our facilities are therefore open as usual.”
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