St Helens fire: 'Two missing' after major blaze at paintballing centre in Merseyside

Residents told to keep doors and windows closed due to smoke

(Sarah Osborne/Twitter)

Two people are feared missing after a major fire took hold in a paintballing centre in St Helens.

Fire crews were alerted to the blaze at 5pm on Monday and arrived at the scene five minutes later.

A statement from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said: “Fire Crews arrived to find a large building with an area of around 20 x 30 metres well alight.

“There have been reports of two people who have entered the building and have not yet come out."

The statement said six fire engines had been dispatched to the Special Ops Desert Storm paintballing warehouse on Borough Road.

Thick black clouds of smoke billowed into the sky prompting police to advise nearby residents and businesses to keep doors and windows closed.

Borough Road, Prescot Road and Eccleston Street were all closed to traffic.

An update released by the fire and rescue service at 7.30pm said part of the roof of the warehouse had collapsed and a large number of tyres had contributed to the thick smoke.

The statement said: "The incident has been divided into sectors in order to deal with the fire. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are fighting the fire.

"An aerial appliance (combined platform ladder) is in use along with ground monitors and main branch hoses.

"A large smoke plume has been moving in a South easterly direction, however firefighting has reduced this plume significantly.

"Pilkington's factory has been evacuated but is not currently affected by the fire."

There was no immediate update on the status of the two people reportedly inside the building.