A mum heard the sound of her children shouting as a fire ripped through her neighbour's house.
The woman, who asked not to be named, was about to take her kids to school this morning when they saw clouds of black smoke billowing from a house on Shellingford Road in Huyton. People could be heard screaming "get out" as the fire ripped through the "whole house", while residents in neighbouring properties were also forced to evacuate.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service sent five fire engines to the scene and all residents were out of the property when crews arrived, with no reported injuries. People were asked to avoid the area and keep their windows and doors shut.
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One neighbour told the ECHO: "The fire must have started around 8am because I was in my back garden at half seven having my coffee until about then and I didn't see anything at all. At about 8.20, I was just about to leave for school or 8.25 to be exact, and my children went in the front garden and they started shouting "mum look at the smoke above the house."
"I panicked, I thought it was something in the back garden. When I ran into the back garden because of the trees I couldn't see much, I just saw a lot of smoke. I heard people shouting saying "get out, get out" panicked, screaming - that's when I called the fire brigade and brought the children in."
The woman said the fire service had already received a call about the fire and within 30 seconds several fire engines, ambulances and police arrived. She said people from neighbouring houses also had to evacuate and were seen standing in their pyjamas in the street.
She added: "It looked like the whole house was on fire because of the amount of smoke, it was coming through the roof. It was really bad. I just hope everyone is OK."
The blaze has now been fully extinguished and the majority of residents are back inside their homes after being asked to leave this morning. An investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the fire.
A spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said: "The main seat of fire was extinguished by around 9.30am and crews have continued to check for hot spots, with the fire fully extinguished by around 10.40am.
"Fire crews have carried out Home Fire Safety Checks in neighbouring properties. An investigation is taking place into the cause of the fire."
