FIREFIGHTERS IN LIVERPOOL have been tackling a huge blaze overnight at the city’s iconic Littlewoods building.

The art deco building dates back to the 1930s and Variety reports that it was due to become a new film and TV studio. 

The city’s fire service said that crews were alerted at 7.52pm yesterday and were on scene by 7.56pm.  On arrival, crews found the roof of the five storey building “well alight”.

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Crews using breathing apparatus entered the building to tackle the fire. 

This morning, crews remain on scene at the building on Edge Lane. The fire service said that crews are still hot spotting in the west wing of the building.

One combined platform ladder is still in operation and four pumps remain at the scene.

The fire involved around 40% of the building.

Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Area Manager Paul Murphy said: “This has been a significant fire and extremely difficult for our crews to deal with due to the size of the building. However, crews have worked extremely hard to battle this fire and have prevented it from spreading into the remainder of such an iconic building.

We are all Merseyside firefighters and this building is as much iconic to us as it is to anyone else, so we are really pleased that we have been able to prevent further spread of fire.

“It has been a challenging incident but we are in a position with the council where we feel the structural integrity of the building may remain intact.”