Merseyside crews extinguish fire at Liverpool Cathedral balcony

Firefighters dealt with an electrical fire at liverpool cathedral on Friday 1 May after smoke was seen billowing from the top of the building on Hope Street. The cathedral was evacuated and closed while crews worked at the scene.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said crews were alerted at 2.44pm and were on scene at 2.49pm. The main body of fire was extinguished at 3.22pm, but a fire engine, a fire service car and a police car remained near the entrance on Cathedral Gate.

Hope Street response

Firefighters responded to reports of a fire at the top of the tower, with smoke visible. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said two fire engines and one aerial appliance attended the incident, and crews investigated the source before identifying it as an electrical fire on the balcony on the top floor of the cathedral.

Staff at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral were not allowed back into the building, and staff and visitors waited outside while a cordon stayed in place in front of the entrance. The fire service said personnel were liaising with onsite staff to isolate utilities and make the scene safe.

Cathedral Gate closure

A post on the cathedral's X account at 3.29pm said the cathedral was dealing with an ongoing incident and was currently closed. It added that the cathedral would issue an update as soon as it knew more. The closure left visitors outside the building, including a group of women from Tennessee who were in Liverpool as part of their cruise aboard the Majestic Princess.

The women said they were told the cathedral had closed because of a fire. With the main fire out but the cordon still up, access to the cathedral remained restricted while crews stayed on site and the area around Cathedral Gate remained under emergency control.