Care home evacuated after blaze in Toxteth

A care home in Liverpool has been evacuated after a blaze broke out.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to the Rodney House care home in Canning Street, Toxteth, at 6.42pm on Friday.

Five fire engines attended to tackle the blaze in the ground floor recreational room of the three-storey building.

The service said the fire on the ground floor had been extinguished about an hour later and the area was being ventilated.

A systematic floor by floor search of the building led to a number of evacuations as well as firefighters making contact with residents who had remained in their rooms due to immobility, it added.

The service said: “Firefighting activity has ceased.

“A search for occupants has resulted in a number of evacuations and contact with residents who are remaining in rooms in safe conditions owing to immobility.

“All residents remaining in the building are in safe conditions with clean air.”

Care home owner Elizabeth Ellis told the PA news agency that everyone had been evacuated and were safe.

She added: “Nobody has been hurt whatsoever and everyone has been evacuated.

“I understand there has been some smoke damage in one of the large dining rooms.”

Rodney House is a 57-bed residential care home for people with mental health conditions, physical disabilities and for adults over the age of 65, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

A North West Ambulance Service spokesman: “There have been no reported injuries.”

The fire service urged people to avoid the area as road closures had been put in place by Merseyside Police.