Liverpool fire: Man arrested on suspicion of arson after blaze at city centre nightclub

A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire broke out in the Ofiveone nightclub building in Liverpool city centre in the early hours on Monday morning.

More than 60 firefighters battled for five hours to get the blaze under control and at the height of the emergency there were 12 fire engines in attendance.

Fire crews have been searching the floors of the building for any casualties but have found no evidence of any.

A 22-year-old man of no fixed abode has now been detained and taken into custody for questioning by Merseyside Police.

Where was the fire?

The fire started in the old Ofiveone nightclub building on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Brownlow Hill near the Adelphi Hotel.

At around 01:38 smoke was spotted coming out of what was formerly Smokie Mo’s bar in the disused four-storey building and fire crews were alerted.

What happened at the scene?

Fire teams arrived on scene at 01:41 and started to tackle the fire, with six fire engines on location.

Utility companies were called to the incident and nearby roads were closed, with Merseyside Police assisting with traffic management.

By 04:00, 12 fire engines were at the scene and more than 60 firefighters helped tackle the blaze during the course of the incident.

One high volume pump and one aerial appliance were brought to the scene.

At 05:20 the utility company enabled a complete external shutdown of electricity to the building with fire well-developed.

By 07:00 the fire was substantially suppressed with smaller pockets of fire being tackled by firefighters in breathing apparatus.

At 11:15, the incident had been significantly scaled down to four fire engines.

By 12.15, fire crews were searching the floors for any casualties but found know evidence of any.

The incident was being drawn to a close, with Brownlow Hill and Mount Pleasant re-opened to traffic.

Four engines were still on the scene with high pressure hoses being used to dampen down the building.

What’s next?

Anyone who witnessed the incident or anyone acting suspiciously in the area is asked to contact Merseyside Police via @MerPolCC or anonymously on 0800 555 111, with reference 21000687770.