Emergency services called to major ongoing blaze at Maghull town hall
Reports have shown plumes of black smoke coming from the building
A large fire has broken out at Maghull town hall, prompting a major response from emergency services.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement that they were called to the hall at 11:55 on Saturday morning (February 1st), arriving on the scene just over ten minutes later.
Reports from passers by found that there were large plumes of black smoke coming from the building as firefighters began to tackle the fire.
The fire service confirmed that the roof of the three-storey building was on fire, with flames taking hold across the whole top of the edifice.
In order to tackle the fire in an effective way, officers from the fire and rescue service are splitting the job of tackling the fire, with firefighters being sent to put out the blaze from two different directions.
In total, there are ten fire engines and two air vehicles that are continuing to bring the fire under control.
On top of this, Merseyside Police are also at the scene in order to protect local residents and seal off the area while emergency services are called to the scene.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service added: "This is an ongoing incident, please avoid the area."
In a separate statement, Sefton Council said they were "supporting" the emergency services and that road closures would be put in place to last for several hours.
They added: "We urge everyone to avoid the area and nearby residents are advised to keep their windows and doors secured to protect themselves from the smoke."