Halewood house fire: 'Almighty bang' heard during lightning storm

Lisa Emmett ran out of the house after smelling smoke

A woman heard an "almighty bang" and screamed for her children to get out of the house after her loft caught fire during a lightning storm.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) said a caller reported the house, on Arncliffe Road in Halewood, had been struck by lightning.

Lisa Emmett who lives there with her partner and three children said: "I'm in shock, I'm still shaking.

"I'm just relieved everyone is safe [but] we've lost everything".

Firefighters found the blaze had spread across the roof space

Thunderstorms across the North West of England have also led to a fire at Trafford General Hospital in Greater Manchester and seen Manchester Originals' match against Northern Superchargers in the women's Hundred at Old Trafford being abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Ms Emmett, 35, whose children are aged 9, 7 and 18 months, said: "I heard an almighty bang and and the kids came running in."

She said she "thought it was just thunder" but then "started to smell smoke and realised something was on fire" before finding the loft hatch had "blown off" and the loft was on fire.

"I screamed at everyone to get out and we all ran into the street and the neighbours were all out at this point.

"I'm in shock, I'm still shaking. We've lost everything - we've salvaged what we could and put in the car but everything else is gone.

"I'm just relieved everyone is safe but it will take us a long time to recover from this", she added.

Her partner Neil Clarke said: "It's all water damage and smoke damage. Everything's ruined.

"We'll be staying at my mum's house tonight but after that who knows".

'Like a rocket'

Tony Cahill from Livv Housing Group, which owns the property, said his team was supporting the family.

"We have arranged alternative accommodation until the condition of the property is known," he said.

Neighbour Amy Bourke, 31, said the house "literally shook - it all happened so fast."

"I was next door working from home. It was like a rocket had gone off. I thought my car had blown up.

"I grabbed my work laptop and car keys and ran into the street where Lisa was screaming to get the kids out."

Ms Bourke added: "The electrics have blown and we are going to be staying in a hotel tonight but after that I don't know".

A MFRS spokeswoman said crews got to the scene shortly before 14:00 BST and found the blaze had spread across the roof space.

She said two people were assessed by paramedics but did not require further medical treatment.

Four engines remain at the scene and a structural engineer has been called to the site.