A 14-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a historic building was destroyed in a horror blaze earlier this week. Flames tore through the historic Grade I listed Woolton Hall in Liverpool after firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 8pm on Tuesday, August 19.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) worked through the night to battle the flames which led to the roof of the building falling down and a cordon being set up around the grounds. By 11.30pm nine fire engines were at the scene attempting to tackle the blaze and people were warned to avoid the area.
Police said a joint investigation with MFRS is ongoing to establish the cause of the fire, but from initial inquiries it is believed to be deliberate. A 14-year-old girl from Liverpool has been arrested on suspicion of arson. She was taken into custody to be questioned and has been conditionally bailed, Merseyside Police said.
Detective Inspector Daniel McWhinnie said: “This appears to have been an extremely reckless act at a historic building that has stood at the site for hundreds of years. We know the community will be rightly shocked by what happened and we are determined to find all those responsible.
“We received reports of youths congregating near the hall shortly before the fire was reported, and we would appeal to anyone who was there or knows who was there to contact police.
“If you are a parent or guardian in the area and your child was out that night, we ask that you enquire about their movements and what they might know.
“If you were driving in the area of Speke Road on Tuesday evening and captured anything on dashcam that you think in hindsight may be useful to our enquiries, please get in touch.
“We are carrying out a number of lines of enquiry, including speaking to potential witnesses and assessing CCTV in the area, but I would ask for anyone who knows anything to contact us as soon as possible.”
Woolton Hall, which sits next to St Julie’s Catholic High School, has remained derelict for around 20 years. Woolton Hall was built in 1704 and renovated later in the 18th century. It was saved from demolition and designated a Grade I listed building in 1982.
It was declared as being at “immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric” by Historic England in 2021, after being hit by a fire in 2019.
A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: “Following last night’s incident the council will now be fully co-operating with any investigation that will be led by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police.”
The building is believed to be in private ownership but has sat empty for around 20 years.
Anyone with information can contact Merseyside Police’s social media desk via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook “Merseyside Police Contact Centre”. You can also report information via their website: Report a crime | Merseyside Police or call 101 quoting incident reference 25000688649.Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously. In an emergency always call 999.