Woolton Hall: Huge fire engulfs historic landmark in Liverpool causing roof to collapse - after an 'arson attack' in 2019
Firefighters are tackling a major blaze at an abandoned historic landmark in Liverpool.
Built in 1704, Woolton Hall previously served as a hotel, an army hospital, a convent and a school but had fallen into disrepair in recent years. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) arrived at the site, on Speke Road in Woolton, at 20:16 BST last night (Tuesday 19 August) and closed roads in the area as crews tried to bring the fire under control.
Footage shared on social media shows the two-storey building's roof completely engulfed in flames and partially collapsed. MFRS said five fire engines and an aerial platform had been deployed to the scene.
A spokesperson said firefighters found the stone building fully engulfed. The blaze was estimated to be about 130ft(40m) by 100ft (30m) in size.
MFRS said: "Water supplies have been established and Merseyside Police are on scene assisting with traffic management. The road has been closed in both directions. Please avoid the area."
Residents living nearby have been advised to keep doors and windows closed. The building previously caught fire in 2019, and the incident was treated as an arson attack by police.
Fire crews were able to prevent the flames from destroying the building six years ago. Campaigners expressed concerns at the time about potential future fires.
Users on social media have been saying that the fire is a “weird coincidence”. One wrote: “Oh, that’s a strange coincidence. the joint owner of Woolton Hall limited was complaining about a lack of development progress four years ago, and, in yet another weird coincidence, there was a fire in the building back in 2019.”
Another user added: “The full story about Woolton Hall, which has just 'mysteriously' burned down. They want to make it into a Care Home and 62 flats, and tried to burn it down already in 2019.”