A woman and three children have died following a devastating house Fire in Bootle, Merseyside.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service received the first 999 call at 3.38am on Tuesday, 22 September, and crews arrived at Stone Square seven minutes later.

Firefighters found a semi-detached property well alight. Six fire engines attended at the height of the incident, with crews wearing breathing apparatus entering the house to tackle the blaze and search for anyone trapped inside.

Four people were discovered in an upstairs bedroom showing no signs of life.

Two members of the North West Ambulance Service Hazardous Area Response Team entered the property and confirmed that all four had died.

The fire service later confirmed the victims were a woman and three children.

Another casualty, who was outside the property when emergency crews arrived, was taken to hospital suffering from burns.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police have launched a joint investigation to establish the cause of the fire.

Area Manager Kevin Longshaw said: “This is a devastating incident, and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives and been injured.

“We will work closely with relevant colleagues to ascertain the cause of the fire, but in the immediate term, we again extend our sincere condolences to those affected by this tragic incident.”