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Latest information about the
ACC Car Park fire
Photographs via
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service
ON New Years Eve 2017, many where counting the hours
to the chimes of Big Ben, but for some, it was counting the cost and fear for
those affected by a devastating fire that ripped through the Liverpool ACC Car
Park.
The fire stated as the Liverpool International Horse Show was taking place and
those attending or taking part and had to be evacuated from the area. Also
apartments and hotels near to the fire had to be evacuated, leaving many
stranded in the City on New Years Eve. Despite it being New Years Eve, many
volunteers came out to help those affected. The houses that that could also no
longer travel home got taken to Liverpool's Aintree Race Course for the night.
Merseyside Police told us that:- "The Red Cross helped those and unable to
get home or need shelter, at the Reception Centre within Lifestyles, on Park
Road." We have also been told that a number of Taxi Cabs helped people
to get home for free.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service have also told us that:-
"Investigations still indicate that this was an accidental fire within a
vehicle caused other cars to ignite and thankfully no 1 was seriously injured."
Security around the ACC Car Park on the Liverpool Waterfront has now been
stepped up to prevent public access, with hoardings set to go around the car
park building.
Even though their has been extensive damage to the car park, which now has 24
hour security to ensure public safety, Liverpool Arena and Conference Centre
(ACC) remains open for business and its full schedule of booked events will
still go ahead.
Liverpool City Council's Parking Services team is currently making contingency
arrangements to provide extra open air parking in the area.
As soon as the site has been made secure, structural
engineers will begin the process of determining the viability of the structure
and people are being urged to keep a safe distance from the building.
The process of removing the 1,305 vehicles that were parked inside is estimated
to take many weeks, as most were entirely incinerated.
Mayor Liverpool, Joe Anderson, explained:- "We are still in the process of
trying to make the site safe so that structural engineers can being the process
of analysing the extent of the damage. Frankly, it's likely that the car park
will have to be demolished as the fabric of the building has been extensively
damaged. To put this in perspective, one of the cars of the third floor has
actually crashed through to the floor below. So it's not safe yet even to enter
the building and we cannot have anyone risking their lives trying to do so,
especially with the strong winds we're currently experiencing."
Mayor Anderson added:- "I know that some cars have not been destroyed and
those people will rightly want to retrieve their vehicles and contents, but I
would ask them to bear with us while the recovery work continues. We will do
everything we can to try and recover any vehicles and possessions that are still
viable, but everyone needs to understand that the car park was an inferno and
the vast majority of cars were completely incinerated. We are dealing with a
freak event and people who have worked in this field for a lifetime have never
known anything like it. Thank God there was no loss of life in the fire. However
public safety must continue to be our Number 1 concern."
Vehicle owners affected by the devastating car park fire at
ACC Liverpool are being urged to get in touch with Liverpool City Council, so
they can be kept informed about latest developments as recovery work at the site
continues.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, explained:- "I want to reassure all
those people who had vehicles in the car park that we will do everything we can
to assist them during this traumatic time. To help us do that, I am urging them
to contact us via the form on our website, so that we can keep them up to date
as work continues to make the site safe. We will ensure they have the latest
information, including any photographs and footage from inside the car park."
► Vehicle owners can fill in the e-form
online.
► A 24/7 helpline has also been established for any queries:- 0151 233 3011.
Mayor Anderson added:- "I have already written to the Association of
British Insurers asking them to ensure their members respond compassionately and
imaginatively and do not delay in making payments. In addition we are exploring
whether any of the CCTV from the car park is recoverable as it might help to
determine which cars were inside, but it is not clear whether it has even
survived the fire. In the meantime, I would urge people to keep their car park
tickets as proof."
Meanwhile the events programme at ACC Liverpool continues as
normal, and Liverpool City Council's parking services department is currently
creating a 600 space open air car park as a temporary replacement, located at
Kings Dock, to be operational very soon.
The incident number is:- 'MP-20171231-0650' if your car was
destroyed and you need if for your insurance company.
The Organisers of the Liverpool International Horse Show said riders were
donating money towards the cancer treatment of Joanne Henderson, who is the wife
Joanne is a prevention manager, at MFRS. This is being done to show their
gratitude to Merseyside firefighters.
Karen Lounds has set up a crowd funding appeal for Matt
Henderson, 42, whose Ms Lounds, who said the NHS in the UK could not offer him
further treatment, is trying to raise ₤200,000 so she can get it in the USA. The
Just Giving
Page is currently active should you
wish to donate.
We are also told that UK Insurance Company Admiral are:-
"Wavering the excess and allowing No Claims Bonuses to be retained and
unaffected for claims relating to the fire."
If you have any more information about those who volunteered and helped those
affected by the fire, please email us to:-
News24@SouthportReporter.com as we would like to know who they are.
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