Neighbours rushed to help put out the blaze after fireworks were thrown at a house
16:44, 09 Jan 2025Updated 16:44, 09 Jan 2025
Neighbours rushed to put the fire out in the terraced house shortly before midnight(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A man “threw a snowman” onto a house fire to help put it out as a bed reportedly went up in flames inside. Police remained at the scene of a burnt out house on Garswood Street in Dingle around nine hours after neighbours rushed to help put out the blaze.
Smoke was seen billowing from the bay window of the terraced house as it went up in flames at around 11.35pm on Wednesday, January 8. Merseyside Police were called to the house at around 8.10pm on Wednesday, January 8 following reports of a firework being fired at the front door.
Three hours later police received reports that a window had been smashed and another firework launched into the house. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service confirmed crews attended the fire at 11.35pm before arriving on the scene two minutes later.
Two teams of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the property with hose reel jets. One person was rescued from the property, with two others believed to have left through the backdoor of the house before firefighters arrived.
One person was taken to hospital for further treatment and the fire was put out. The fire service completed checks of the house before leaving the scene at 1.25am. Merseyside Police confirmed a 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and criminal damage and is currently in custody.
A neighbour, who helped put out the fire in the front room, told the ECHO how he was playing Football Manager in his home when he heard a “bang”. He said: “The people living there keep themselves to themselves. I was just trying to put the fire out. There was a bed in the front room and that was what was on fire.”
When asked how he felt about people coming out of their homes to help put out the blaze, he said: “I didn’t think about it, people were bringing out buckets of water and trying to put it out. Someone tried to get a hose pipe going but that wouldn’t have done much unfortunately.
“On reflection, it, everyone came out to help and it was nice. Someone threw a snow man on the fire. The man who threw it, I think it was his kid’s snowman but it was a bit of humour shared between us in a difficult situation.”
The front room was burnt with damage done to the ground floor of the property(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Neighbours told the ECHO how police had attended the property earlier in the evening following a firework being fired at the property. John Halligan, who has lived on the road for 35 years, told the ECHO: “It’s such a quiet street, I’ve never seen anything like this before on this street.
“I was just about to go to bed when my neighbour banged on the door saying there was a fire. I started handing out fire extinguishers to put it out before the fire engines arrived.”
One woman told the ECHO: “The lads on the street got together to put it out. There were quite a few of us out of our houses to help. I heard a bang at 11.45pm, I just thought it was a firework and then I heard shouting and banging on my door from my neighbour who was first out onto the street.”
She continued: “They had a bed in the front room and it went up in flames. It was the lads in the street that put it out before the fire engines arrived. It was really emotional how everyone came out, I feel like crying now talking about it.”
Detective Inspector Steve Street said: “Clearly this could have had very serious consequences. Thankfully nobody was injured but the occupiers have been left shocked and upset. At this stage the motive is not clear and we are carrying out a number of lines of enquiry.
“We have made an arrest but would appeal for anyone who was in the area of Garswood Street last night who heard or saw anything suspicious or believes they captured something on CCTV, dashcam or doorbell camera, to contact us as a matter of urgency.”
Anyone with information can DM @MerPolCC or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 25000021711.