
A 1,000C inferno that incinerated up to 1,600 vehicles in a car park 'could have been stopped' if sprinklers had been fitted in the building.

Fire hot enough to melt aluminium engulfed seven floors of the multi-storey car park at the Echo Arena on Liverpool's waterfront after a Land Rover burst into flames and quickly spread to other vehicles on Sunday night.

Terrified motorists abandoned their cars and fled in panic along with 4,000 people who were evacuated as the final event of the Liverpool International Horse Show was called off at the Echo Arena.

Around 80 horses were rescued and residents and tourists staying in apartments and hotels nearby had to spend New Year's Eve in a temporary shelter as their buildings were evacuated amid fears for their safety.

On Monday, pictures showed the floors of the car park had been vaporised and vehicles were reduced to ashes by the blaze that reached temperatures between 800C and 1,000C.

Former footballer Mark Wright's family were among those caught up in the terrifying drama and his wife Sue captured a photograph of the car which sparked the blaze just moments before flames tore through the building.

Dan Stephens, of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), has now said a sprinkler system would have given crews a 'much better' chance of stopping the fire.

Scroll down for video

A 1,000C inferno that incinerated up to 1,600 vehicles in a car park in Liverpool 'could have been stopped' if sprinklers had been fitted in the building

Fire hot enough to melt aluminium engulfed seven floors of the multi-storey car park at the Echo Arena in Liverpool

Terrified motorists abandoned their cars and fled in panic along with 4,000 people who were evacuated

Fire hot enough to melt aluminium engulfed seven floors of the multi-storey car park at the Echo Arena on New Year's Eve

Sue Wright, wife of former England footballer Mark Wright, took this picture after a car exploded on the car park's third level

Mr Stephens, speaking from the scene, said the temperature of the fire was between 800C and 1,000C, and although crews attended within eight minutes of the alarm, the flames spread so quickly they were not able to control the blaze.

He said: 'One thing is for certain - had the building been sprinklered there is every chance that would have suppressed the fire sufficiently then for us to be able to go in and extinguish the fire without it spreading in the way that it did.

'I believe a sprinkler system would certainly have suppressed the fire, 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.

'Given the intensity of the fire, given some of the fire incidents we've seen over the past 12 months, I think the fact that no-one was injured here and there's been no fatalities... I think that's a very good outcome indeed.'

On Monday, pictures showed the floors of the car park had been vaporised and vehicles were reduced to ashes by the blaze that reached temperatures between 800C and 1,000C

Dan Stephens, of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), has now said a sprinkler system would have given crews a 'much better' chance of stopping the fire

The Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre and the multi-storey car park on Liverpool's waterfront is pictured just behind

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service later confirmed there were no reports of any casualties and crews worked through the night, battling to get the blaze under control with 12 engines at the scene along with two aerial appliances.

She said the blaze started on level three of the seven-storey car park, with multiple cars ablaze and it had affected that level and one above.

Liverpool City Council said it had helped around 10 people who had been stranded by the fire overnight through its temporary shelter, and arranged for their onward travel.

A spokesman said: 'Our advice now is for people whose cars were inside to contact their insurance company to make a claim, quoting Merseyside Police log 650 on 31/12/17.'

A spokeswoman for Mersey Fire and Rescue Service later confirmed there were no reports of any casualties. Pictured, firefighters rescued dogs from the blaze

The blaze started in one vehicle on level three of the seven-storey car park, according to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service

Burnt out cars seen at the multi storey car park near the Echo Arena in Liverpool, after Sunday night's massive fire

Damage at the multi storey car park near the Echo Arena in Liverpool, after a massive fire which destroyed hundreds of cars

A firefighters comforts a dog after a huge fire in a multi storey car park in Liverpool city centre near the Liverpool Echo Arena

Fire crews are seen at the multi-storey car park near the Echo Arena in Liverpool after a blaze destroyed hundreds of vehicles

A Merseyside Fire and Rescue spokesman said the temperature of the fire was between 800C and 1,000C

One woman travelled from Ireland for the horse show and lost her equipment in the blaze. She said: 'All our equipment has been destroyed in there, saddles and everything.'

Sue Wright, the wife of former England footballer Mark, told MailOnline that she was in a car with her husband and six children – their 12-year-old daughter, her two friends and the couple's three foster children – when a nearby vehicle exploded into flames.

She said the blaze started as a small engine fire in a Land Rover on the car park's third floor but then quickly spread.

'It was an old car that exploded as we were leaving the building. We were in our minibus and one of the kids shouted, 'there's a fire!'

She added that a number of cars exploded after the first one and she fears that her family's vehicle may be one of them.

Liverpool City Council said it had helped around 10 people who had been stranded by the fire overnight

Fire hoses used by firefighters from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service are seen on the street near the multi-storey car park

Residents and tourists staying in apartments and hotels nearby had to spend New Year's Eve in a temporary shelter

'The cars were just popping every couple of seconds,' she said.

'We've lost everything because our car was right next to the car that exploded. My handbag was in it, our cards, cash, everything. We just grabbed the keys and ran.'

Mrs Wright said that her husband ran the children to safety down a fire escape, while she called 999 and stayed to help evacuate the horses.

'The children were very upset. They were crying because they saw me go back inside the building,' she said.

She said around 80 horses that were stabled in the car park's ground floor were evacuated.

'Getting the horses out was the biggest issue,' she said.

'I kept asking the officer in charge about releasing the horses, and eventually I went in and told the stable hands to get the horses out.'

A massive fire has destroyed all cars in a 1,600 capacity multi-storey car park next to Liverpool's Echo Arena

Former footballer Mark Wright's family were caught up in a fire that broke out in a multi-storey car park next to the Echo Arena

A horse show was cancelled as firefighters tackle vehicles ablaze at a multi-storey car park next to the Liverpool Echo Arena

The evening session of the Liverpool International Horse Show was cancelled after around 80 horses were evacuated safely

Pictures from the scene of the blaze this morning show the charred remains of vehicles left behind in the car park

Sue Wright (pictured left and right), the wife of former England captain Mark (left), told MailOnline that she was in a car with her husband and six children when a nearby car exploded

She added: 'All the horses had stable hands who were just waiting for instructions.

'The horses were getting stressed, so I just told the stable hands to get the horses bridled and walk them out.'

Mr Wright said as the fire began he looked around for fire extinguishers but could not find one.

He added: 'I genuinely thought it could have been contained. It was only one bonnet that was up on a very old car.

'There should be extinguishers on every floor and I really do believe if someone had been around, that could have been contained really really easily.

'It was only one car, then all of a sudden you haven't got 1,600 cars and a whole building going up and everyone being evacuated and causing chaos.'

Mother-of-two Leanne Simpson, 33, from Anglesey, attended the show with her partner David Henretty, 44, and his two children.

They lost their Black Land Rover Discovery Sport bought new at the beginning of November for £52,000. The car, which they bought in cash after saving for four years, was parked on the second floor of the Echo Arena carpark.

Ms Simpson said two iPads, two iPad minis, four pairs of Beats headphones and a £115 pair of Rayban sunglasses and £80 Christmas money were in the car.

She said: 'We arrived quite early, around 10.30am, that's why we were on level two. We went shopping and then headed back to the arena at 12.30pm as the show started at 1pm.

'Then there was an announcement saying there was a car on fire on the top floor [of the carpark] and the fire brigade was dealing with it.

'My partner is ex-military, and I work in the military, so we read between the lines – we knew it was a little bit more [than what they were saying].

'Everyone was so incredibly calm – it was brilliant. My partner spoke to security to try and understand what was happening. He came back and said 'the smoke's really bad out there, they're not going to start the show again – you can just tell, we should probably just leave.

'Then the extractor fans came on as the smoke had started to come into the arena where all the stalls were and where the open area was.

'As we were going to the exits they started to close the doors over to stop the smoke coming in.

'We were told the fire brigade was essentially keeping the other buildings cool and they were preparing for it to collapse. I looked up at the carpark and you couldn't tell which floor was which.

Dozens of firefighters and appliances were sent to tackle the inferno as it quickly swept through the car park

Firefighters remain at the scene today, making the area safe - as hundreds of motorists attempt to make insurance claims

Merseyside Police said initial investigations indicate an accidental fire in a vehicle caused other cars to ignite

'The youngest boys burst into tears as their Christmas presents were in the car. The girls are old enough to understand that we had insurance – I told them not to worry about it.

'We'd saved up the money and paid in cash, using some of the lump sum my partner got when he left the military, and only bought it last November. We did that as we didn't want to live beyond our means.

'The most frustrating thing about the whole situation because we weren't at a hotel we were in no man's land. There was no-one to look after us.

Emma Petre, 22, a nursery practitioner from Cumbria had parked her £12,000 Mini Countryman in the Echo Arena as she was staying at the Jurys Inn with two friends.

The group were planning to head into Liverpool city centre for New Year's Eve and had parked there as they got 25 per cent discount from booking with Jurys Inn.

Emma said: 'We heard big bangs which were the tyres popping, it was awful, really scary. It was horrible, you could heard the glass smashing on the windscreens.

'I was panicking, but there was no-one running. I was worried about my car – I rang my mum and the insurance company.

'My car is the only thing I was really proud of, I started crying. I'd spent all that money and it was gone.

Vehicles burn during a blaze at a multi-storey car park at the Echo Arena on Liverpool's waterfront on New Year's Eve

No-one is believed to have been hurt and two dogs were rescued from a car parked in the building

A horse is led away during the Liverpool International Horse Show held at the Echo Arena following a blaze at a car park

It's more money that I can't afford to pay out. Train tickets were £50 each.

'I'm only 22, I feel like I didn't know what to do. My insurance doesn't open until tomorrow, I had to make do with a helpline.

'I'm supposed to be at work tomorrow, not sure I'll be able to which means more loss of earnings. It's not a happy new year.'

Kevin Booth described listening to the 'very scary' bangs of cars exploding in the Liverpool car park fire, knowing that his new vehicle was going up in flames.

Mr Booth, 44, took his wife Julie and 16-year-old daughter Holly to Liverpool to see the horse show as a treat.

'We've had a nightmare few months and we wanted to cheer ourselves up', he said.

Mr Booth, from Manchester, left the six-month-old Fiat 500 X in the Echo Arena car park just after 1pm.

A motorist took pictures of the scene as horses were evacuated from stables in the ground floor of the multi-storey car park

Flames engulfed a number of vehicles next to the venue on Sunday, with 12 fire engines called to the building at King's Dock

Sue Wright said the blaze started as a small engine fire in a Land Rover on the car park's third floor but then quickly spread

An evening session of the Liverpool International Horse Show was cancelled as firefighters tackle cars ablaze in the car park

Later in the afternoon at 4.45pm he was informed by staff at the arena that there was a small fire which was under control.

His family was shortly after evacuated to the nearby Hilton hotel where they waited on the first floor.

'The flames and the smoke was unbelievable' Mr Booth said.

'People were saying that they would just wait and get their cars back. I thought, 'Have you seen the fire? Are you joking?''

After that the family returned to the Jurys Inn Hotel where they had booked to stay overnight.

From there they were able to see and hear the fire.

'It was frightening, we could hear the bangs of car windows exploding,' he said

'The staff in the Jurys Inn were amazing, very British just getting on with it, when honestly it was very scary.

'There were a couple of kids sat there crying because of the loud bangs.'

French show jumper Daniel Delsart, who helped to evacuate some of the horses, said: ‘The smoke was getting worse and worse and the horses were pretty alarmed with all the fire engine sirens and bangs from cars exploding.’

A family attending the horse show were blocked from boarding their Virgin train home after they were evacuated from a neighbouring hotel and left their tickets in their room.

Joanne Gubb, from London, tweeted that she had proof of purchase but the company was slow to offer any help, telling her they would have to buy another ticket. She later confirmed that Virgin staff met the family at the station and booked them on another train.

Credit: Facebook/ Michele Cooper

Luckily, his car is fully insured, so he will only need to pay the excess fee.

'There was a Porsche parked next to us, so it could always be worse', Mr Booth said.

Ian Baker, 58, and his wife Lorraine, 60, parked their Ford Focus in the car park a couple of hours before the blaze began then went out to celebrate the new year on their two-day trip to Liverpool.

Mr Baker, a sales rep from Mansfield, said: 'We had a couple of drinks out then came back to the hotel for a meal and the waitress said there's a problem with a fire in the car park.

'We have sort of left it to the fire service, it's a sort of fait accompli, I can't do anything about it now.

'We are here for two nights so we will be able to get back by train.

'We come to Liverpool a couple of times a year, it's not what you expect.'

The couple's hotel is still open so unlike some they do have a bed for the night - but Mr Baker's Mansfield Town FC season ticket was also in the car.

Mrs Baker added: 'I would have been crying if it was my car but life could be much worse, it's only a car. By the sounds of it, they've all gone up in smoke.'

Kerry Matthews, 54, a warehouseman and partner Patricia Heath, 55, an administrator, both from Wrexham, North Wales, were visiting Liverpool for the night to celebrate the New Year.

They parked up their Vauxhall Insignia around 2pm dropped their bags off at their hotel and went out for drinks before returning at 10.30pm.

The area was evacuated along with some apartments nearby due to smoke billowing from the blaze near the Echo Arena

Merseyside Police advised members of the public to stay away from the area and traffic restrictions remain in place

Emergency services at the scene of a blaze at a multi-storey car park at the Echo Arena on Liverpool's waterfront

Around 4,000 people were expected for the evening show, but at least two or three levels of the car park appeared well alight

Ms Heath said: 'We just thought it was the arena on fire. We thought we will go and have a look.

'A fireman said the whole car park is on fire. He said, 'What level is your car on?' We said six.

'He said, 'Well you best go and have a couple of drinks to celebrate new year because you're not going to get your car back'.'

Mr Matthews added: 'We will probably have to get the train back. If they are running.

'It's a car we can replace a car. There could have been people in those cars, it could have been a lot worse.'

Crews were first called at 4.42pm and were on scene eight minutes later.

Six fire engines were initially in attendance and crews, wearing breathing apparatus, are tackling the fire, Mersey Fire and Rescue Service said.

The area was evacuated along with some apartments nearby due to smoke billowing from the blaze.

Merseyside Police advised members of the public to stay away from the area and traffic restrictions were put in place.

A total of 12 fire engines were at the building at King's Dock in Liverpool's city centre after a blaze broke out just after 4.30pm

Merseyside Police said 'a number' of vehicles are on fire and nearby apartments have been evacuated due to smoke billowing from the blaze

The area was evacuated after a fire involving a number of vehicles in a car park was reported

A spokeswoman for the Echo Arena said: 'We regret to announce that the Liverpool International Horse Show has been cancelled tonight due to a serious fire in the multi-storey car park on site.

'All people and horses are safe and secure.

'We are working alongside the emergency services to ensure the fire is brought under control and to make the site safe as quickly as possible.

'Please note that there is no access to the ACC Liverpool site.

'We will provide regular updates when we can.'

The four-day equestrian event was due to finish with Sunday evening's show.

Around 4,000 people were expected for the finale, but at least two or three levels of the car park appeared well alight, with periodic mini-explosions and flames shooting up the outside of the building.

In a tweet, mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson wrote: 'Anyone whose car was in the arena car park should go to the Galeria in the Exhibition centre. Council and arena staff will help with getting home or emergency accommodation. Big praise for our fire service who are working really hard at the car park.'

He also thanked several hotels and their staff for 'helping so many people', and wrote: 'And over 200 people called my office offering lifts for people. As always, Liverpool proves it's the kindest city in the world. #soproud.'

The Association of British Insurers said any driver whose vehicle has been damaged in the fire should get in touch with their insurance company.

A spokesman said: 'Insurers' emergency claim lines operate 365 days a year, so anyone who has been affected by this fire in Liverpool should pick up the phone to their insurer.

'Insurance is there to cover the costs of just this type of incident, and in 2016 motor insurers paid out more than £33 million every single day.'

Those attending the event shared posts online saying the show had been cancelled