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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Liverpool Echo Arena car park 'ferocious' | Liverpool Echo Arena car park 'ferocious' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A witness has described watching a "ferocious" blaze which destroyed about 1,400 cars break out in front of her. | A witness has described watching a "ferocious" blaze which destroyed about 1,400 cars break out in front of her. |
| It engulfed the multi-storey car park in King's Dock - next to the Liverpool Echo Arena - on New Year's Eve. | It engulfed the multi-storey car park in King's Dock - next to the Liverpool Echo Arena - on New Year's Eve. |
| The venue was forced to cancel the Liverpool International Horse Show and hundreds were left stranded overnight. No casualties were reported. | The venue was forced to cancel the Liverpool International Horse Show and hundreds were left stranded overnight. No casualties were reported. |
| The fire chief said a sprinkler system could have stopped the fire, which began accidentally, from spreading. | The fire chief said a sprinkler system could have stopped the fire, which began accidentally, from spreading. |
| 'Ball of fire' | 'Ball of fire' |
| Sue Wright had been attending the horse show with her husband, former England footballer Mark Wright. | Sue Wright had been attending the horse show with her husband, former England footballer Mark Wright. |
| She said she saw an old Land Rover - thought by firefighters to be the source of the blaze - with its engine on fire. | She said she saw an old Land Rover - thought by firefighters to be the source of the blaze - with its engine on fire. |
| "The flames were just shooting out of the engine and coming past the tyres," she said. | "The flames were just shooting out of the engine and coming past the tyres," she said. |
| "It looked like a ball of fire on the front of the car and it was producing a lot of smoke. | "It looked like a ball of fire on the front of the car and it was producing a lot of smoke. |
| "We just left everything in the car - handbags, telephone, cash - and just went. | "We just left everything in the car - handbags, telephone, cash - and just went. |
| "I saw one car on fire but it was clear it was ferocious and spreading." | "I saw one car on fire but it was clear it was ferocious and spreading." |
| Dan Stephens, of Merseyside Fire and Rescue, said the flames spread very quickly. | Dan Stephens, of Merseyside Fire and Rescue, said the flames spread very quickly. |
| "I believe a sprinkler system would certainly have suppressed the fire," he said. | "I believe a sprinkler system would certainly have suppressed the fire," he said. |
| "It would definitely have limited the spread and given us a much better opportunity to put the fire out before it spread to the extent it did." | |
| Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson said there were lessons to be learned. | Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson said there were lessons to be learned. |
| "If there's things we can do to make the car parks more safer then that is exactly what we will do," he said. | "If there's things we can do to make the car parks more safer then that is exactly what we will do," he said. |
| 'Thought it was firecrackers' | 'Thought it was firecrackers' |
| Liverpool City Council opened a reception centre at Lifestyles Gym for those unable to get home or needing temporary shelter. | Liverpool City Council opened a reception centre at Lifestyles Gym for those unable to get home or needing temporary shelter. |
| Others were offered accommodation or lifts by fellow show-goers or locals. | Others were offered accommodation or lifts by fellow show-goers or locals. |
| Jan Clarke, from Adelaide in Australia, spent the night in the centre with daughters Kaitlyn Bolton, 27, and Shelly, 22 after they were evacuated from a block of flats near the arena. | |
| She said the first sign of the fire was smoke and the sound of explosions from across the dock. | She said the first sign of the fire was smoke and the sound of explosions from across the dock. |
| "We thought it was firecrackers," she said. | "We thought it was firecrackers," she said. |
| The family took shelter at a nearby McDonald's, where they watched the fire develop. | The family took shelter at a nearby McDonald's, where they watched the fire develop. |
| "All we could see was the smoke," Ms Clarke said. "We could see the smoke getting darker and darker and we heard multiple explosions." | "All we could see was the smoke," Ms Clarke said. "We could see the smoke getting darker and darker and we heard multiple explosions." |
| 'It was surreal' | 'It was surreal' |
| Ms Clarke, who celebrates her 60th birthday on Tuesday, praised the help and advice they were given by emergency services and was hopeful of a return to the flat. | |
| She said Shelly, who suffers from epilepsy, had left her medication behind and had missed two doses. | She said Shelly, who suffers from epilepsy, had left her medication behind and had missed two doses. |
| "Everyone here was fabulous, I couldn't fault them," she added. | "Everyone here was fabulous, I couldn't fault them," she added. |
| Sean and Alison Lightning, from Northwood, near Shropshire, were walking towards the arena to see the show when they detected the smell of "burning plastic" in the air. | Sean and Alison Lightning, from Northwood, near Shropshire, were walking towards the arena to see the show when they detected the smell of "burning plastic" in the air. |
| "It was surreal," he said. "I said 'knowing our luck it'll be the venue' and it was." | "It was surreal," he said. "I said 'knowing our luck it'll be the venue' and it was." |
| The couple had left their phones inside Mr Lightning's Nissan pick-up truck, but were helped to contact family by strangers and found temporary accommodation. | The couple had left their phones inside Mr Lightning's Nissan pick-up truck, but were helped to contact family by strangers and found temporary accommodation. |
| "People in the street were helping us, ringing our family and leaving messages," he added. | "People in the street were helping us, ringing our family and leaving messages," he added. |
| No animals were hurt in the blaze and four dogs were rescued from a car on the top floor of the car park earlier. | No animals were hurt in the blaze and four dogs were rescued from a car on the top floor of the car park earlier. |
| Daniel Delsart, a French show jumper, was supposed to be competing in the show on Sunday evening but ended up helping to evacuate some of the horses. | Daniel Delsart, a French show jumper, was supposed to be competing in the show on Sunday evening but ended up helping to evacuate some of the horses. |
| He said: "I rushed in with a few other riders and officials to pull out the last few horses in the multi-storey. | He said: "I rushed in with a few other riders and officials to pull out the last few horses in the multi-storey. |
| "The smoke was getting worse and worse and the horses were pretty alarmed with all the fire engine sirens and bangs from cars exploding." | "The smoke was getting worse and worse and the horses were pretty alarmed with all the fire engine sirens and bangs from cars exploding." |
| Later smoke began to engulf the stables and he helped to move the horses again as it was getting difficult to breathe. | Later smoke began to engulf the stables and he helped to move the horses again as it was getting difficult to breathe. |
| "The scale of the fire, it was crazy. It's like something that you see on TV but you never think it's possible." | "The scale of the fire, it was crazy. It's like something that you see on TV but you never think it's possible." |
| The fire service was first called at about 16:40 GMT on New Year's Eve. | The fire service was first called at about 16:40 GMT on New Year's Eve. |
| Crews remain at the scene to continue investigations into the cause of the fire and are guarding against the risk of the building collapsing. | Crews remain at the scene to continue investigations into the cause of the fire and are guarding against the risk of the building collapsing. |
| All vehicles in the 1,600-capacity car park were destroyed, Merseyside Police said. | All vehicles in the 1,600-capacity car park were destroyed, Merseyside Police said. |
| Those with vehicles in the car park have been told to contact their insurance company quoting reference number 650 of 31 December. | Those with vehicles in the car park have been told to contact their insurance company quoting reference number 650 of 31 December. |
| A spokeswoman for the Echo Arena said the horse show was cancelled and that "all people and horses are safe and secure". | A spokeswoman for the Echo Arena said the horse show was cancelled and that "all people and horses are safe and secure". |
| The four-day event was due to finish with Sunday evening's show, where around 4,000 people were expected. | The four-day event was due to finish with Sunday evening's show, where around 4,000 people were expected. |