Berry Street: 53° Liverpool club hit by major fire
A major blaze has destroyed parts of a nightclub in Liverpool that crews have tackled for more than eight hours.
The roof and floors of 53° Liverpool have collapsed in the fire, since it broke out in Berry Street in the city centre at about 04:45 BST. Local residents and businesses were told to keep doors and windows closed because of the extent of the smoke. The club is close to the City of Liverpool College, where students had hoped to pick up their A-level results. The owners of 53° have vowed to reopen in the wake of the blaze, which is now under control. "We are going to need a bit of time to tidy up the dance floor (and we need a roof) but we will be back soon," a spokesman said. "Thankfully nobody was hurt... thanks to our many industry friends and brilliant customers for your messages." Merseyside Police have closed a series of roads close to the scene, where there were no reports of any injuries. The building was "well alight" when crews arrived, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said. "Due to the high volume of smoke in the area, nearby residents and businesses are advised to keep their windows and doors shut," it said in a statement. Despite being unable to stop the building from collapsing firefighters, who used an aerial platform, were able to stop the blaze from spreading to surrounding properties and businesses. You may also be interested in: "Our crews have done an amazing job in getting this fire under control so quickly and effectively," said Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Mottram. "The speed of crews' response and firefighting actions ensured the fire - which was well alight on our arrival - did not spread further." A college spokesman said: "There will be no student or staff access to our Learning Exchange campus on Roscoe Street." However, students were able to pick up their results from the Clarence Street campus, he added.