Two men were seen entering a warehouse wearing black balaclavas before a devastating fire took over.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) crews were scrambled to the Aintree Industrial Park, on Wareing Road, at around 4am on Monday, May 8, following reports of a fire inside a two-storey building. Six fire engines arrived at the scene just minutes after the call and found a blaze measuring around 100 by 30 metres in size.
The complex operation saw crews tackle the blaze in multiple locations around the building, including from above with an aerial appliance. Huge plumes of black smoke poured out into the sky and drifted in the direction of Longmoor Lane.
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Nearby residents and businesses were advised to keep windows and doors closed. When the ECHO arrived at the scene shortly after 7am, the smoke had formed a cloudy haze that hung over the nearby Archbishop Beck Catholic College.
Merseyside Police and the North West Ambulance Service were in attendance at the scene. No injuries were reported.
Merseyside Police have now confirmed they are treating the fire as suspicious after it was reported two men wearing balaclavas were seen entering the building.
A spokesperson from the force said: "We are appealing for information following a report of a suspicious fire at a warehouse in Liverpool on Monday, May 8. It was also reported that two men wearing balaclavas were seen entering the building.
"A joint investigation by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police is underway to establish the cause of the fire. Anyone in the area with information, CCTV or dashcam can contact us on 101 or Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ with reference 230000387938.
"You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
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